The Characters and animals

The Huns are the big scary bad guys in the movie. This is true, becuase around when Mulan lived, the Huns invaded China. Although westerners would know them as Mongols. The horses roles in the movie are also correctly portrayed. The saddles and bridles are similar to artwork found of horses. They also show the horses with the saddles of the imperial army. The lucky cricket that everyone wishes they had may be made up. They have been drawn in artwork and are sold on the street in wired cages, but the lucky part may have been added in the movie. Dragons in China are seen as snakelike, wise, and good as opposed to the monstrous scary mythical creatures. This is what Mushu was based off of, and in the end, he was seen as wise and powerful instead of a bother.
The falcon that the main Hun always carries on his shoulder was based off of the birds of prey perched on the Mongol's shoulders when they would hunt.

The Smaller Details

The plot includes some of the aspects of real life China, however, the small details in the movie reflect China the most. When the Huns attack the Great Wall, the solider lights the fire on the watchtower, and soon other fires light to in other watch towers, alerting the danger. The young solider tells the Hun, "Now all of China will know your here," after lighting the fire. This was true becuase the communication was crucial, so watch towers and barracks were built in the high areas. They would light a torch when dangers was seen, alerting other watchtowers and all of China. Also in the begining when Mulan was many chores to attend to, is what life was like for women in the past. They were not thought of highly and did servant work. They had 3 obediences to follow, obey her father before marriage, her husband after mariage, and her son after her husband’s death. When Mulan Visits the matchmaker, she makes a mess of herself and her mother is disappointed that she may never find a husband. In China, it was likely that when a boy's parent found a potential bride for their son, they visit the matchmaker where they discuss conflicts and interests. When the girl accepts, they visit the matchmaker again and she will decide if their birth dates will allow their marriage to be compatible. Also, Mulan's father ccompares her to a cherry blossom. In China, these flowers were held with the highest regards. The food in the movie is also a good representation of what the Chinese diet was like then. Rice was a major part of their diet, and used in the house and when she was in the army.