Chinese story with universal appeal

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. China Daily writer Zhang Zhouxiang comments:

There are two main points that Chinese audiences are unhappy with. 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.

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. 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.