Final Paper: Orientalism within Mulan and the Western Influence

        Throughout history, the concept of the East has always fascinated the West because of it's exotic goods for trade. Even when America was discovered, the Spanish, French, and British were all looking for a quicker route to access Asia and obtain spices and other trade materials. Over time, Eastern cultures have fascinated the West in various ways that go beyond products and into behaviors that exist within society, including traditions and practices. Edward Said's Orientalism discusses the high interest in the Orient by Western society within the past; this interest has grown and infiltrated popular culture, as seen in films such as Mulan. Disney incorporates Western depictions of Chinese culture through the actions of the main character Mulan. Her role in Chinese society becomes an obstacle when attempting to find her identity and even save her father from dying in war. The Chinese patriarchal culture is depicted as getting in the way of Mulan's true identity while at the same time questions whether or not a woman should follow the social norms expected by family, community, and the government. In relation to Said's writings, Mulan demonstrates the Western view of the Orient as going beyond the geographical differences and into the issue of sexuality and the role of women in Eastern society.

        In the film, Mulan's attempt to impress the matchmaker turns into rejection and ultimately encourages her to discover herself by joining the army; this incorporates the Eastern patriarchal expectations of women in society as well as brings into question the idea of a women in a male dominated field. According to , “'Finding oneself' is a modern American concept and a noble goal from a western perspective, but one that conflicts with East Asian perspectives regarding the more communal nature of the self.” (219) Disney places the Western idea of finding oneself as a goal into a culture that expects the individual to act in the interest of the community. This incorporation of the two cultural traditions creates a conflict for the character to overcome, and since the film ends happily, it sends audiences the message that Western ideas can infiltrate and dominate traditional Eastern practices. The film does show features of China that accurately represent the country geographically, such as images if The Great Wall, yet ultimately, Mulan changes the accuracy of Chinese culture by acting more Western in terms of identity.

        Mulan's role as a male-disguised female who joins the army is greatly criticized by the other characters in the film, which reflects how Western society interprets Eastern views of women in comparison to men within their society. During the army training, the other male soldiers make fun of Ping (Mulan's fake male name) by calling her a girl in order to make her feel lower than them. According to Simone de Beauvoir's, The Second Sex, “humanity is male and man defines woman not in herself but as relative to him; she is not regarded as an autonomous being.” Mulan's role as a woman is only defined by her actions as relative to the ideas of men. For instance, her father plays a dominant role in her decision to fight in the army: it is important for Mulan to bring honor to her family otherwise it will disappoint her father. Although she desires to form an identity, she seeks to do so only in relation the men in her culture. Even when Mulan speaks out about her wishes to have her father not be drafted, the officer who hears her plea tells her to keep quiet in the presence of a man. Again, the film depicts Eastern culture not only for it's location and customs, but it also reflects the struggles between the sexes, especially for women.

        Although Mulan's feminine role in the film is influenced by Chinese traditional culture, it manages to satisfy Western ideals through making a connection between politics and Orientalism, which ultimately reduces the value of Eastern traditions. According to Crystal S. Anderson, “A transnational feminist lens comes more to bear in the discussion of Disney’s treatment of Mulan...[she] sacrifices elements central to her character in the Chinese source material, such as seeking justice, in order to appeal to a global audience.” Mulan's actions reflect not only the constraints of Chinese culture onto women, but it also incorporates a desire to “seek justice” in order to appeal to men and women of different ages and cultures. This “transnational feminist lens” allows Westerners to view the Orient in a way that is relatable, not just different and exciting. Yet, the attempt to make Mulan universally relatable, strips away the realistic aspects of a woman's role in Chinese culture, altering the perceptions of the Orient in perhaps a negative way. In the words of Edward Said,

“The closeness between politics and Orientalism...provokes unrest in one's conscience about cultural, racial, or historical generalizations, their uses, value, degree of objectivity, and fundamental intent...the political and cultural circumstances in which Western Orientalism [has] flourished draw[s] attention to the debased position of the Orient or Oriental as an object of study.”

As a result of altering Mulan's female role, the study of the Oriental places Chinese culture in a “debased position”, which ultimately influences how Westerners view and treat Oriental societies.

When Mulan is discovered as being a female, the main leader of the soldiers is disappointed. Throughout the film, Mulan wins the soldiers over by working hard and overcoming physical obstacles, yet when they find out about her lie, the issue of her being an untrustworthy person becomes more important than her achievements. Although Mulan explains the noble reasons for her deception, she is still left behind and shunned by the leader and the other soldiers. This represents the value of a woman in relation to the opinions of men in the Orient society. This also reflects the laws and expectations of the government on women's rights to make choices and even fight in war. The dual representation of Chinese laws and the limitations on what women are allowed to do combine Western views of the Orient that satisfy both cultures. It reflects Said's notion that Orientalism goes beyond just the facts of Oriental culture based on geography; it demonstrates how the conflicts which arise between the sexes can exist within all cultures.

        Although Mulan does have some accurate depictions of Chinese culture, it is important not to depend on it as a source for understanding Oriental cultures, especially in the way women are viewed and treated in society, or the way they act in relation to men. According to Ruben Chuaqui's “Orientalism, Anti-Orientalism, Relativism,”

“we can come to know substantial stretches of human and nonhuman reality, although we should at the same time be cautious and prepared to revise what we know. ..not everything that we can learn about human beings and societies depends on a knowledge of their institutions and cultures, although vast portions do depend on them.”

While it is important to know about the “institutions and cultures” of China, it is also necessary to “revise what we know” and to not just depend on what Disney tells the world about characters like Mulan. One of the most fatal outcomes of inaccurate depictions about the Orient includes the lack of research and knowledge that should accumulate from other sources besides films and media. Unfortunately, popular culture tends to simplify information in the most entertaining form in order to make profit and gain popularity rather than accuracy. This is fatal to the perceptions of the Orient not only about China but of other Eastern and Middle Eastern countries. The earlier fascinations of the Orient have progressed from wanting goods and materials for trade/investments to wanting to fit the different Oriental traditions into the Western lens that just strips away the many aspects of the Orient. It is ultimately the responsibility of the audience to determine what portion of films like Mulan should be viewed in an entertaining way and what parts should become a tool to educate the individual about the differences between Eastern and Western traditions. 

Anderson, Crystal S. "Mulan’s Legend and Legacy in China and the United States by Lan Dong (review)." American Studies 52.1 (2012): 196-97.Project Muse. Web. 21 Aug. 2014.

Beauvoir, Simone De. The Second Sex. New York: Knopf, 1953. Print.

Chuaqui, Ruben, and Marc T. Brudzinski. "Orientalism, Anti-Orientalism, Relativism." Nepantla: Views from South 3.2 (2002): 373-90. Project MUSE. Web. 21 Aug. 2014.

Hsieh, Ivy Haoyin, and Marylou M. Matoush. "Filial Daughter, Woman Warrior, or Identity-Seeking Fairytale Princess: Fostering Critical Awareness Through Mulan." Children's Literature in Education 43.3 (2012): 213-22. Web of Science. Web. 21 Aug. 2014.

Said, Edward W. Orientalism. New York: Vintage, 1979. Print.