Fa Mulan | Movie Review

 Intercultural communication

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   As we all known,Fa Mulan is a Chinese legend which narrates Fa Mulan replaced her father enlisting and be honored with heroine.All the time,we extol this great story in a serious and revered manner.Certainly,culture exists differences but no boundaries.Fa Mulan has been praised by other countries simultaneously.The United States even produced a cartoon specially.That vividly shows the heroine’s achievements.But the form totally differs from the Chinese.

   Before I saw this cartoon,I did not have much taste.I thought the story about Fa Mulan I had heard for many years and for many times.Nevertheless finally found it’s so different from my former attitude.It’s funny,lively,witty and freedom.Since then I have deep in thought of culture difference.

   In the poetry ,Mulan replaced her father entirely because of love and devotion.While for individualism in the cartoon.In the traditional sense of Chinese,Mulan was a gentle and virtuous woman.She was forced by the world situation to join the army.However in the cartoon,Mulan was a tough girl.She joined the army because her blind date was failed and she wanted to prove herself.That is really a world of difference between China and The United States.China is a country with 5000 years of history and civilization.Filial piety is a traditional virtue.So in the mind of Chinese,Mulan joined the army was showing that she loved her disabled father.As for Americans,freedom and human right are their values.In their views,though Mulan was a girl, she had the equal right as men.And she could do everything through hard work.Besides,in the Chinese poetry,Fa Mulan had several brothers,which was the representative Chinese family in the old days.In the cartoon,Mulan was the only child.And this is the main characteristic of American family.

   Another culture difference is the attitude towards imperial authority.Since the Xia Dynasty,China has been a imperial supremacy country.Mulan disguised herself an a man so she could fight on the battlefield,which cheated the emperor.She was supposed to be punished severely.While in the cartoon,not only did the emperor punished Mulan,but he gave her high praise.

   In a word,the differences of Fa Mulan’s story between the Chinese poetry and Disney cartoon shows the different culture and values.We can not tell which is good or bad.Both of them have highlight.Towards such culture differences,we should hold a comprehensive attitude.

纪念第一次写英文版影评~