In ancient China, hundreds of men were called upon to defend their homeland. Unknown to all, one female stood among the soldiers. Disguised as her brother, in order to take her ill father’s place in the army, heroine Mu Lan bravely defended her country with superior martial arts.

Written and illustrated by a Beijing based father-daughter team, The Legend of Mu Lan is filled with visually striking water color illustrations. However, the true beauty of this historically accurate, bilingual children’s book is the lesson it teaches:

• Allow children to excel at their natural interests regardless of gender
  The historical heroine, Mulan, illustrates that parents should support a child’s natural interest when Mulan’s father champions her interest in martial arts. This book emphasizes the importance of allowing people to follow their hearts and their dreams.

• Patriotism and respect for one’s elders
  The true spirit of Mulan, found in this book and in the Song Dynasty poem Mu Lan Ci, demonstrates filial piety when martial arts expert Mulan takes her ill father’s place in battle. "Mu Lan does this for her father and country," states publisher Eileen Hu, "She does not run away from home."
  "At that time, even boys dare not run away from home," states Chinese Counsul of Education Liu.

• Women are effective in martial arts
  The Legend of Mu Lan proves that women can excel in skill sports because of the important role played by strategy rather than strength. "In publishing this book it was crucial for me to break down stereotypes of submissive Chinese females," said Hu. "Unlike the Disney movie, the historical Mu Lan did not need the help of a boyfriend."

For a complete press kit or more information on The Legend of Mu Lan: A Heroine of Ancient China, contact Bradley Hein at MarketAbility (303) 279-4349

Rocky Mountain News, August 9, 1998
"Disney’s latest animated movie, Mulan, is based on a Chinese folk tale, but that doesn’t mean the Chinese government is going to let it be shown in Mulan’s homeland."