HSK 4 Chinese reading practice

木兰从军

mù lán cóng jūn

Mulan Joins the Army

The older folk-ballad version of Mulan: a daughter takes her father’s place, serves for twelve years, and returns without asking for rank or riches.

RECOMMENDEDHSK 4
READ7 min
HANZI608
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CULTURE

Mulan before the movies

The earliest surviving telling is the Ballad of Mulan, a northern folk song preserved in a later anthology. It does not include the dragon sidekick or romantic plot familiar from modern films; its focus is Mulan’s decision to replace her aging father and her quiet return home after twelve years of service.

Key vocabulary8 words from this story
Open vocabulary
阅读理解 · COMPREHENSION

Check your understanding

Answer three questions without looking at the English translation.

01木兰为什么决定替父从军?
02木兰在军中生活了多少年?
03皇帝要给木兰高官时,她想要什么?
0 / 3questions answered
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