Hua Mulan (Chinese: 花木兰, Chinese: 花木蘭) was a female warrior from the Northern and Southern dynasties period of Chinese history, originally described in the Ballad of Mulan (Chinese: 木蘭辭; pinyin: Mùlán cí). In the ballad, Mulan, disguised as a man, takes her aged father's place in the army. Mulan fought for twelve years and gained high merit, but she refused any reward and retired to her hometown.

The historic setting of Ballad of Mulan is in the Northern Wei, whereas a later adaptation has her active around the founding of the Tang c. 620. In 621, the founder of the Tang dynasty emerged victorious over Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande. The latter sired Dou Xianniang, another female warrior who became Mulan's laotong in Romance of Sui and Tang.^[1]

The story of Hua Mulan has inspired a number of screen and stage adaptations. The Hua Mulan crater on Venus is named after her.^[2][3]

                                                                 Wild Bunny eating a carrot

                                                           A91A41FC-8BF5-4019-84E2-198F7D83DF5C.MOV

이 작품은 중국 남북조 시대에 일어난 일화에 근거를 두었다. 

목란(木蘭)이란 처녀가 늙은 아버지를 대신하여 남장을 하고 징집에 나가서 전방에서 10년을 봉사하였고, 용맹무쌍하여 근무가 끝날 때에 황제 Khan에게서 큰 상을 받고 함께 근무했던 병사들이 호위하여 고향집에 갔다.

그녀의 소문에 가족들은 큰 잔치를 준비하였는데 밖에서 기다리는 동료 병사들에게 Warrior Mulan대신 화장을 한 여장의 아름다운 목란이 그들앞에 나타나니 너무도 놀랐다. 

목란이 가로되, '숫토끼는 뛰어서 달리고 암토기는 앉아서 쳐다보다가  위험이 오면 둘이 똑같이 달아나니, 어떻게 암수를 구별하겠는가?"

10년을 함께 지냈어도 목란이 여자인 걸 몰랐다니!

원문 목란사는 추후에 게재할 예정이다. 

What a story!

At least she was not punished like Jeanne d'Arc though it is a different story/background as a woman warrior.

BB Lee

Dear BB: It will be a while before I translate this beautiful epic which is quite long.

Do I exaggerate too much if I nickname this work as a mini-Iliad on the Chinese version?

Many Chinese experts in the posterity have figured out the era and the Country when this saga occurred.

Thanks for your interest.

Kwan Ho