Mulan，a Chinese story with universal appeal

　　《花木兰》，一个广受欢迎的中国故事

　　The trailer for Mulan, a Disney movie based on its previous animation about the ancient Chinese legend, has been released and Chinese viewers have been quick to criticize it.

　　改编自一部中国古代传说动画的迪士尼电影《花木兰》近日发布了预告片，迅速引发了中国观众的批评之声。

　　China Daily writer Zhang Zhouxiang comments：there are two main points that Chinese audiences are unhappy with.

　　《中国日报》作家张周祥评论称：中国观众的不满主要有两点。

　　First, in the trailer there are shots of Fujian, which is about 3,000 kilometers away from historical home of Mulan in history. Second, the heroine Mulan, starring Crystal Liu, wears heavy makeup that is appealing to Westerners’ eyes, not Chinese eyes.

　　首先，预告片中有福建的镜头，然而福建距离历史上木兰的故乡约3000公里。其次，由刘亦菲主演的女主角木兰浓妆艳抹，对西方人颇具吸引力，对中国人却不具吸引力。

　　Perhaps the criticism is unfair as Disney has designed the movie to please Western audiences, who care more about the story than the historical facts.

　　也许这些批评并不合理，因为迪斯尼拍摄这部电影就是为了取悦西方观众，他们更关心的是故事本身，而并非它是否符合历史事实。

　　That’s why Chinese audiences should not expect the film to have accurate Chinese elements even though the story is Chinese and almost all the leading actors are Chinese or at least ethnic Chinese. It shows Chinese elements through the eyes of Westerners.

　　这就是为什么中国观众不应该期望这部电影有准确的中国元素，即使这是个中国故事，而且几乎所有的主要演员都是中国人或者至少是华裔。电影展示了西方人眼中的中国元素。

　　Yet the differences cannot hide the points where the Chinese and Western elements and values can find common ground. A good example being the part in the trailer where the matchmaker describes the qualities that make for a good wife, namely a woman being "quiet, composed, graceful, disciplined".

　　然而，这些差异并不能掩盖中西方元素和价值观的共同点。举个例子，在预告片中，媒人描述了一个好妻子的品质，即“安静、沉稳、优雅、自律”。

　　This is said with Mulan appearing in two images. One has her dressing as a woman, the other with her practicing sword. Obviously Disney described Mulan as a warrior, an independent female who can save herself instead of waiting for someone to save her.

　　同时，木兰出现在两个场景中，一个身着女装，另一个在舞剑。显然，迪斯尼把木兰描述成一位战士，一个能够自我拯救、而不是等待他人拯救的独立的女性。

　　That’s a good point where Chinese and Western values are similar because gender equality and female independence are now valued in both cultures. It will strike a chord with both Chinese and Western audiences.

　　在这一点上，中西方的价值观是相似的，这很好。因为性别平等和女性独立现在在这两种文化中都受到了重视。它将引起中外观众的共鸣。

　　But whatever styles her clothes and makeup follow, Mulan is a Chinese legendary heroine and she embodies the virtues of Chinese women. Disney’s Mulan should also prompt the Chinese movie industry to make better use of Chinese stories.

　　但无论她的服装和化妆风格如何，木兰都是一位中国传奇女英雄，她体现了中国女性的美德。迪斯尼的《花木兰》也应该促使中国电影业更好地讲述中国故事。

　　Chinese scriptwriters and directors can well tell stories about Chinese ancient heroes to the world, instead of waiting for Disney or Hollywood to tell them. Good stories move audiences of the whole world because their hearts are interconnected.

　　中国的编剧和导演可以向世界讲述中国古代英雄的故事，而不是等待迪斯尼或好莱坞越俎代庖。好故事可以感动全世界的观众，因为世界人民的心是相通的。

　　(全文共363个词，China Daily)

　　重难点词汇：

　　heroine  n. 女主角；女英雄；女杰出人物

　　element  n. 元素；要素；原理；成分；自然环境

　　compose  vt. 构成；写作；使平静；排…的版 vi. 组成；作曲；排字

　　disciplined  adj. 遵守纪律的；受过训练的

　　legendary  adj. 传说的，传奇的

 

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