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As well known to all, filial piety is considered to be traditional virtue and is very important in Chinese life. “Traditional Chinese feel a lifelong obligation to their family, ideally exemplified by an unreserved devotion to please them in every possible way”. (B. Strauss, 1988: 95) In China, Chinese filial piety connotes that children are subject to their parents, sometimes even blindly. The filial piety and younger brotherly respect or obedience are the root of humane character, especially in the idea of the three years’ mourning period for parents reciprocating parental care in the first three years of life. The duties of the child to the parent and the virtue of filial piety are very important to every Chinese people.
In The Mulan Ballad, the main idea of Chinese Traditional culture is filial piety. The Mulan image originates from the poem of Mulan in the North Dynasty. In the poem, hard life in war, bravery and success are highlighted in this heroine, who receives high praise from generation to generation. Mulan joined the army in man’s disguise for some reasons. Being disguised as a man to war is considered anti-tradition, but the fundamental reason for doing to save the old ailing father, to show filial piety that is always emphasized by the tradition. Under this circumstance, Mulan is praised instead of condemned. Taking father’s place to war is another synonym of filial piety. The motivation came from her dedication to the family and her determination to protect her aging father. Her sense of commitment pushed her into a position for which she had not expected before. It is her devotion to her family that the poem puts more emphasis on. The emphasis is made stronger when the poem ends with Mulan’s preference for family life over high official ranking. So what we see is a typical Chinese woman at that time, she is industrious and kind-hearted. But besides her self-sacrifice, there is nothing about her personal values.