For hundreds of years, the name of Hua Mulan has been equaled to the word heroine in Chinese history and culture.

Legend goes that her sick father was conscripted to go to war. But he was too sick to fight and her only younger brother was too young to go to war. At last, she decided to disguise herself as a man and join the army to fight in place of her father.

For then years on the battlefield, Mulan got promoted to general due to her bravery and the extraordinary fighting skill. She was so excellent that when they were permitted to return home, she was summoned to the court by the emperor.

Hua Mulan (2009), Chinese actress Zhao Wei acted as Hua Mulan

The story is so popular that it has provided much inspiration for poetry, operas, paintings, films and even the Disney movie. However, there is also a debate on whether Hua Mulan is a historical figure. The basis of the folk story is a 300-word poem from the Southern and Northern dynasties (420-589), which gives the broad sketches of her life, leaving plenty to the imagination of the storyteller.