Does Disney NEED to cast a Chinese actress for Mulan?

There has been an insane amount of enthusiasm (yep, nice non-controversial word) about casting a Chinese actress for Disney's live-action remake of Mulan.

Plus read a translation of the original Mulan now!

UPDATE: Disney has managed to avoid pitfall #1 and casted Liu Yifei as Mulan! Yay! Still, there are more important things:

Let me just say this: if Disney tries to cast someone ridiculously off the mark as Mulan, I can only conclude they have been hijacked. Dammit, Hydra.

But does she absolutely, definitely have to be Chinese?

I really appreciate the amount of thought and effort people are putting into this petition. To whitewash, or wash in any colour you like from black to purple, an integral part of Chinese tradition would be horrible.

But here are two requirements that I've seen online and found dubious:

• cannot be Japanese, Korean, Vietnam, or anywhere from Asia BUT China
• cannot be half-Chinese, half-something else; must look Chinese

Let's address both of these.

The Mulan actress must not just be Asian, but Chinese.

First, a dash of humour. So what about Taiwan? What about Hong Kong and Macau? I can tell the difference between a mainlander and a HKer about 80% of the time. My mum has a better rate. Are we Chinese? Would it be okay if the actress was Taiwanese? Whoops, what if they come from the Spratlys or Diaoyu Islands or one of the many islands China thinks belongs to them?

Yeah, those islands aren't populated. But remember: China has been around for a looooong time. And our borders have changed.

Any sort of cultural identity is fluid. While I believe a Chinese actress would bring their own experience to any adaptation, I think there are more important "Chinese elements" that a live action adaptation needs.

ETA: It is absolutely fantastic that Disney has decided to strive for cultural authenticity, though.

The Mulan actress must not be only half-Chinese and must look Chinese.

To be fair, I think the original posters meant "don't find someone half-Caucasian and looks Caucasian".

I don't think I need to point out how ridiculous it is to exclude biracial people — and seriously, if you're judging whether people are ~Chinese enough~ or ~Asian enough~?

Sit down in a corner and hug a slimy octopus, thank you.

In the meantime! The type of Chinese person you see most is Han Chinese. However, there are also 55 ethnicities living in China and are also part of Chinese culture. We all have fabulous fashion and cuisine.

To ask for someone who looks Chinese is to ask for someone who looks American. Should an American be white and blond and tall, or an African American, or an eagle? And in the case of China, because we have an insanely long history of wars and whatnot, there has definitely been some mixing in terms of ethnicity, so the lines aren't quite that clear.

Oh, and just some food for thought. Mulan is a folktale that originated during the Northern Wei Dynasty. During this time, the country was a mess and refugees were fleeing left and right and north and south. It's also, according to my history textbook*, a time when people of different ethnicities started integrating to some extent within China. It's entirely possible that Mulan wasn't even Han Chinese. She was said to be fighting for the foreign 可汗, a title for Mongolian kings.

*ETA: I have now discarded this textbook. If you were forced to take Chinese history in school, please treat yourself to a marvelous slice of cake.

My arguments basically boil down to this one point:

Who is Chinese? How do we define China?

This isn't something I can cover in one blog post, or even in a blog series. It's a question that's tangling Hong Kong even now as we struggle to reconcile our differences with Beijing. But the presence of this question, I think, undercuts the absolute nature of saying "The actress for Mulan must be Chinese".

All I really need Disney to do, in terms of casting, is to convince me in the theatre that this is a Chinese folktale.

And while the wrong actress would ruin that effect, here's what's more important to me:

• Do NOT turn Mulan into some Western altar of rebellion and individualism, i.e.:
• Please get rid of the forced-into-marriage subplot? It's not unrealistic, but it overcomplicates Mulan's motivations. Doesn't preclude romance.
• Why Mulan left = she loves her family. Arya Starks unnecessary.
• Let's say this again: Mulan does not need to rebel against "convention". The original ballad starts with her weaving, for goodness' sake. It ends with her reapplying makeup.
• Acknowledge core values in Chinese culture, a.k.a Confucian values:
• Courtesy. Greetings, precedence, tea, everything, for worldbuilding.
• Filial piety, i.e. respect and love for parents. Expectation to care for them in their old age.
• Patriotism patriotism patriotism. We are worse than America and their eagles.
• Integrity. Mulan is lying via proxy to the emperor and to everyone else. A huge no-no in Confucian values. Character motivations, please.
• Please include older sister present in original, because sisterhood.
• Please make the scenery and the fashion look like they're Chinese. This is literally the best part of ANY c-drama and Disney needs to bring their A-game.
• Those pets were cute. But they do not belong in a live-action film.
• Exception will be made for bunnies.

Your thoughts on the live-action Mulan? Are you excited or worried about it? I AM VERY WORRIED. Disney, don't mess up.

P.S.: If you enjoy the legend of Mulan, you'll love my modern re-imagining with witches, assassins, and magical snacks.

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