The Ballad of Mulan: Edition, Spanish Translation and Literary Interpretation

The Ballad of Mulan is an anonymous Chinese text, belonging to the yuefu genre. It consists of 62 lines. It was probably composed during the Altaic, non-Han Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534 d. C.). The Ballad narrates the adventures of the Chinese girl Mulan: she decides to enroll in the army on behalf of her old father. In this article, a revised edition of the Chinese text is offered, accompanied by a Spanish translation with a very detailed literary commentary. The stylistic procedures of the poem are analyzed, especially the parallel structures and the emphasis on sounds. Some folk motifs in the Ballad are also detected and commented on. It is concluded that Mulan's main motivations are filial devotion and patriotism. The individualist motivation is not represented in the text. The final simile could be interpreted as a feminist claim, but it is really an invitation to fulfil one's filial and patriotic obligations, regardless of genre.