From an old Chinese poem to a well-known animated movie, the story of Hua Mulan has changed a lot over time, as each version reshapes the story to fit its audience. People often compare them, by talking about the broad ideas and themes, noting that the original focuses on filial piety, while the Disney version celebrates individuality and feminism.
But the real difference isn’t just in these themes. It also shows up in something smaller and more personal: how Mulan’s body and appearance are shown. In both the original and Disney’s versions, Mulan is shown leaving behind the “traditional” women’s life and developing into someone who embraces more masculine traits as she enters the world of martial arts. Making this move means she has to change how she looks and carries herself.
In the original poem, this change is quick and practical. Mulan puts on men’s clothes, goes to war, and that’s it. Her body isn’t described or questioned. In Disney’s version, her body becomes a central part of the story. She’s told how a woman should look and act, then later cuts her hair and puts on armor to pass as a man. These moments show how her outer change mirrors her inner journey and search for identity.
By looking at how each version shows Mulan’s physical change, we can see what each one values. The ballad shows her body as serving her family and community, while the film shows her body as expressing her own identity.
The Ballad and Mulan’s Quiet Change
In the original Ballad of Mulan, her transformation is described very simply. She buys a horse and armor, leaves home, and goes to fight in her father’s place. The poem does not give details about her disguise or appearance. What matters most is her loyalty to her family. When she returns home and removes her armor, her fellow soldiers are surprised to discover she is a woman. The story shows that her actions, not her appearance, are what really count.
The poem treats Mulan’s body as a practical tool. She does what she must to fulfill her duty, but her physical change is almost invisible. The focus is on her courage and skill, not on her appearance or identity. In this version, her body supports her role rather than telling its own story.
“Mulan Joins the Army” by Feng Luoxia (1900)
Disney and Mulan’s Visible Transformation
In Disney’s 1998 film, Mulan’s body is central to the story. Early on, the movie shows strict expectations about how a woman should look and act, especially when she prepares for formal society. Mulan is cleaned up, dressed, and made to look like the perfect woman, and her tense body language shows her discomfort. When she cuts her hair and puts on her father’s armor, the change becomes both physical and emotional. It is not just her pretending to be someone else; it is her taking control of who she wants to be. During training, her body continues to show her progress as she pushes herself to keep up with the soldiers. By the end, she moves with confidence. Later, when she reveals who she is to Shang, letting her hair down and speaking in her own voice, her body finally matches her true self.
Disney’s “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” : Mulan’s progress during training shows her physical and emotional growth as she adapts to the soldiers’ world.
Every change in how Mulan looks or moves signals her inner growth. Her physical changes are part of the journey, showing that who she is inside comes through in her actions, movements, and the way she carries herself.
Clothes and Makeup: Historical vs Disney
In Disney’s Mulan, clothes and makeup show her transformation. Her matchmaker outfit has white foundation, pink cheeks, red lips, and a neat bun with a ribbon to make her look like the perfect woman. In Mulan’s historical era, women sometimes decorated their foreheads with patterns or symbols, and their outfits were more layered and patterned. Soldiers wore practical armor without fancy decorations.
Comparison of traditional Chinese makeup styles (top) and Disney’s version in Mulan (bottom). Both use pale skin, red lips, and pink cheeks, but the historical style adds symbolic forehead patterns and heavier detailing.
The movie simplifies these details to make it easy for viewers to see her change. Her Hanfu is bright and simple, while the armor she puts on for war has teal and green accents and looks more elaborate than real armor of the time. These costume choices clearly show her move from following expectations to becoming a warrior.
Comparison between traditional Hanfu from Mulan’s historical era (left) and Disney’s simplified version (right). The real Hanfu features layered fabrics, detailed patterns, and symbolic colors, while the film’s version uses a cleaner, modernized design for clarity and animation ease.
By comparing the movie to historical styles, we can see how Disney mixes tradition with storytelling. The way Mulan dresses and does her makeup helps the audience understand who she is and what she is doing in the story.
Disney’s version of Mulan’s armor (left) is light and stylized for animation, while traditional armor from her era (right) was heavier, layered with metal plates, and built for real protection. The contrast shows how Disney simplified the look to highlight her bravery rather than realism
Conclusion
Looking at how Mulan’s body is treated in each version shows how the story’s focus has shifted over time. The ballad presents a practical, almost invisible transformation that serves duty and family. The Disney version uses Mulan’s body as a visual marker for self-expression and confidence.
These subtle differences show that Mulan’s story is not just about her accomplishments or personality, but also about how her physical appearance is part of the tale. Her adaptability and transformation can be shown both visibly and meaningfully, which helps explain why her story continues to resonate across generations.