The Chinese and American elements of the Disney movie Mulan from the Cross-cultural Perspective

Abstract

On the basis of drawing materials from Chinese historical stories and retaining traditional Chinese ideas and images, the Disney movie Mulan adopts a series of Hollywood story blending methods to make American-style transformation of characters and values, according to the sight of Americans the standard of Chinese beauty image is re-created for Mulan, and the ideas of feminism, individual heroism, and equality between men and women are vividly displayed in Mulan. At the same time, the characters and plots of the story have also been transformed in American style: several key characters and animals have been added throughout; on the basis of respecting the basic plot of the original story of Mulan, the feudal loyalty and filial piety story has been turned into a story of women's self-realization. The film enlightens us that only by fully understanding the cultures of the two countries can we better promote the cross-cultural communication and exchanges between China and the United States and even between China and the West.