List of Disney's Mulan characters facts for kids

The main characters in Mulan II. From left to right: Ling, Chien-Po, Yao, Shang, Mulan, Mushu, Cri-Kee, Su, Ting-Ting and Mei.

This article introduces the main characters from Disney's 1998 animated film Mulan, its 2004 sequel Mulan II, and the 2020 live-action remake Mulan.

The Fa / Hua Family

In the 2020 live-action film, the family name "Fa" is changed to Hua. Both names mean the same thing, but "Hua" is how it's spelled in Mandarin Chinese, while "Fa" comes from Cantonese.

Mulan

Fa Mulan is a brave young woman. She pretends to be a man to join the army. This saves her elderly father from having to fight. She calls herself Ping when she is in the army. Mulan faces the fierce Hun leader Shan-Yu and his army. She fights bravely and helps save all of China. The Emperor of China honors her for her amazing efforts. The whole country celebrates her return home. Ming-Na Wen provides her speaking voice. Lea Salonga sings for Mulan.

In the 2020 live-action film, her name is Hua Mulan. She uses the name Hua Jun while serving in the army.

Fa Zhou

Fa Zhou is Mulan's father. He is a respected war veteran. He was injured in a past war. He is Li's husband and Mulan's father. At first, he seems very strict. He appears to care most about his family's honor. He gets easily frustrated with Mulan. When called for military duty, he accepts, even though he is old and hurt. Mulan worries about him risking his life. When Mulan returns a hero, she gives him Shan Yu's sword and the Emperor's crest. These gifts bring great honor to their family. He then tells Mulan that his greatest honor is having her as his daughter. He only wanted her to be happy and safe. Soon-Tek Oh voiced him. In the 2020 live-action film, Tzi Ma plays him.

Fa Li

Fa Li is Mulan's mother. She is Zhou's wife and Mulan's mother. She helps Mulan get ready to meet the Matchmaker. She is upset when Mulan's hair gets messy. She and the other women help Mulan get dressed up. Fa Li comforts Mulan after the Matchmaker rejects her. When Mulan runs away to join the army, Fa Li is very sad. Her husband, Fa Zhou, comforts her. Freda Foh Shen voiced her. In the 2020 live-action film, Rosalind Chao plays her.

Grandmother Fa

Grandmother Fa is Mulan's grandmother. She is easy-going and gives Mulan a lot of freedom. She often provides funny moments. She is first seen with Cri-Kee, a lucky cricket. She gives Mulan items to make her look perfect for the Matchmaker. She always encourages Mulan to find a good husband. When Mulan runs away, she prays to the ancestors. This wakes up First Ancestor Fa. When Mulan returns a hero, Grandmother Fa jokes that Mulan should have brought a man home. She is shocked when Li Shang arrives. She then jokingly says to sign her up for the next war. She asks Shang to stay for dinner, and then "forever." Mulan finds this funny, but Shang agrees to stay. June Foray did her speaking voice. Marni Nixon did her singing voice. This character is not in the live-action film. She is replaced by Hua Xiu.

Hua Xiu

In the 2020 live-action film, Hua Xiu is Mulan's sister. She is the second daughter of Hua Zhou and Hua Li. Xana Tang plays her. This character is based on Mulan's younger siblings from old Chinese stories.

Fa Ancestors

First Ancestor Fa

First Ancestor Fa is the oldest ghost in the Fa family. He leads the other ancestors. He carries a staff. When he is called, he brings Mushu to life. He often stops the other ancestors from arguing. He tries to suggest better plans, like sending the Great Stone Dragon. When Mushu returns with Mulan, he gives Mushu his job back as a guardian. George Takei voiced him.

Other Ancestors

The Other Ancestors are members of the Fa family who have passed away. They include a farmer and his wife, and a counter with an abacus. Many of them complain about Mulan when she is away. Mary Kay Bergman voiced the female ancestors in the first film. Tress MacNeille voiced them in the second film.

Chinese Military

Li Shang

Captain/General Li Shang is a Chinese army captain. BD Wong provides his speaking voice. Donny Osmond does his singing. Shang is a very skilled leader. He is dedicated to his duty. He is very handsome and strong. He is thoughtful and logical. He becomes a captain after his father, a general, appoints him. He becomes friends with Ping (Mulan in disguise) after Ping saves his life. Later, he finds out Ping is actually Mulan, a woman. This is against the law and punishable by death. Shang spares her life. After Mulan helps save the empire, he falls in love with her. He joins her family for dinner.

In Mulan II, Shang proposes marriage to Mulan, and she agrees. The Emperor promotes him to general. He and Mulan must escort the Emperor's three daughters to another kingdom. This arranged marriage hopes to bring peace. Mushu tries to break up Mulan and Shang. Midway through the film, Shang is thought to be dead after falling into a canyon. He is later found alive. Mushu and Cri-Kee save the day by pretending to be a dragon. They free the princesses from their marriage promises. Mulan and Shang get married. Shang combines their family temples so Mushu can stay Mulan's guardian.

In the 2020 live-action film, Li Shang's role is split into two characters: Commander Tung (played by Donnie Yen), who mentors Mulan, and Chen Honghui (played by Yoson An), a fellow recruit and Mulan's love interest.

Yao, Ling and Chien-Po

The army recruits Yao, Ling, and Chien-Po to fight the Huns. They start with no military skills. They are harder to train than most soldiers. Even Mulan learns faster than them. Eventually, their training pays off. They become capable fighters. They often provide funny moments with their clumsy actions. They become Mulan's "army buddies." They think she is a man named Ping. When they find out she is a woman, they don't think less of her. They even try to help her when Shang is about to punish her. They agree to help Mulan stop the Huns by disguising themselves as women. They manage to fool the guards.

In the second film, they have a bigger role. They are still the same. They visit the Matchmaker, but she rejects them. Mulan and Shang recruit them for another mission. Shang believes they are important for success. They gladly join the escort to take the Emperor's daughters to be married. Along the way, they fall in love with the princesses. Yao loves Mei, Ling loves Ting-Ting, and Chien-Po loves Su. The princesses also admit their feelings. Mushu helps them marry who they want.

Yao

Yao sees himself as the leader of the trio. He is short, strong, and has a black eye. He is arrogant and short-tempered. In the first film, he picks on Mulan at first. He then becomes her friend. He is very loyal. He is the first to help Mulan fight the Hun army. He wants a girl who will admire his strength and battle scars. In the second film, he falls in love with Princess Mei. He tries to impress her with his strength. He wins a fight at a carnival and gives her a stuffed panda bear. In the 2020 live-action film, Chen Tang plays him. He is still gruff but more cheerful.

Ling

Ling is the middleman of the group. He is medium height and very slim. He is friendly and enthusiastic. He always has a joke ready. He teases Mulan at first but becomes her friend. He and Yao sometimes disagree. He came up with the phrase "a girl worth fighting for." In the second film, he falls in love with Princess Ting-Ting. She is the most serious princess. Ling wants a girl who will laugh at his jokes. Ting-Ting finds his jokes funny but tries not to laugh. She thinks her snorting laugh is embarrassing. At the carnival, she laughs at his misfortune. Ling doesn't mind her snort and finds it cute. In the 2020 live-action film, Jimmy Wong plays him. He is friendlier and good at poetry.

Chien-Po

Chien-Po, or Po for short, is bald and the tallest and largest of Mulan's friends. He is the calmest and most spiritual. He loves food more than anything. He wants a wife who is good at cooking. He is very kind-hearted. He is the most ready to befriend Mulan. He is also very strong. He can lift many people easily. In the second film, he falls in love with Princess Su. She is the youngest princess. She loves food as much as Chien-Po. They bond easily over this. He saves her when their carriage falls into the water. In the 2020 live-action film, Doua Moua plays him. He is rowdy but still loves food.

General Li

General Li is Li Shang's father. He is a high-ranking Chinese army member. He and his elite troops are killed fighting the Hun army. Shang and his soldiers find the destroyed village. Chien-Po finds General Li's helmet. Shang makes a shrine for his father. Mulan leaves a doll there to honor the villagers who died. James Shigeta voiced him.

Cricket

In the 2020 live-action film, Cricket (played by Jun Yu) is a young soldier. He becomes friends with Mulan and her comrades. He says his parents named him "Cricket" to bring good luck. He is clumsy and shy. But he is very good with a bow and arrow. This character is likely a nod to Cri-Kee from the animated film.

Animals and Creatures

Mushu

Mushu is Mulan's closest friend. He is a small, reddish-orange Chinese dragon. He has blue horns and a sassy personality. Eddie Murphy voiced him in the first film. Mark Moseley voiced him in later appearances. Mushu was once a guardian spirit for Mulan's family. He was demoted to a gong-ringer. This happened because he failed to protect a family member. Mushu is often wild, impulsive, and excited. He wants to be a family guardian again. He helps Mulan, even if he sometimes causes trouble. He can be selfish but has a good heart. He is sensitive about his small size. He hates being mistaken for a lizard.

Mushu has parts of different animals. He has a snake's body, elk horns, eagle claws, and a camel's face. This makes him look like dragons in Chinese art. He can breathe fire. At first, he struggles, but he learns to use it. He uses fire to stop Shan Yu's falcon, Hayabusa. Mushu appears after Mulan runs away to join the army. The ancestors want to send the Great Stone Dragon to get her back. They send Mushu to wake the dragon. Mushu accidentally destroys the dragon statue. To avoid punishment, he pretends to be the Great Stone Dragon. He secretly sets out to make Mulan a war hero. Mushu works hard. With Cri-Kee's help, he helps Mulan defeat Shan-Yu. This gets him his guardian job back.

In the second film, Mushu learns he will lose his job when Mulan and Shang marry. He tries to break them up. This causes problems with Cri-Kee and Khan. Mulan also loses trust in him. After Shang seems to die, Mushu feels guilty. He is willing to sacrifice his job to save Mulan. When Shang is found alive, Mushu pretends to be the Golden Dragon of Unity. He forces the ruler to let Mulan and Shang marry. This convinces Mulan, Cri-Kee, and Khan to forgive him. Mushu accepts losing his job. But when Shang combines the family temples, Mushu realizes he gets to keep his job. He is very happy. Mushu then reveals himself to Shang, who already knew about him.

Mushu does not appear in the 2020 live-action film. A phoenix takes some of his role.

Cri-Kee

Cri-Kee is a cricket. Grandmother Fa gives him to Mulan. He is supposed to be lucky. His actions cause the Matchmaker to reject Mulan. Mulan releases him, but he follows her. He becomes friends with Mushu. He joins Mushu on his mission to protect Mulan. During a Hun ambush, he and Mushu are almost killed. Mushu saves him from an avalanche. After Mulan is kicked out of the army, Cri-Kee admits he isn't lucky. But he and Mushu help Mulan stop Shan Yu. Mushu then calls him a lucky bug. In the second film, he becomes Mushu's enemy. Mushu tries to break up Mulan and Shang. Cri-Kee tries to stop Mushu's plans. He forces Mushu to tell the truth. They become friends again at the end. Frank Welker voiced him.

Hayabusa

Hayabusa is Shan Yu's pet falcon. He acts as Shan Yu's eyes and ears. At the end of the first film, Mushu burns his feathers. This stops him from warning the Huns about Li Shang. Mushu calls him "Mongolian barbecue." Cri-Kee laughs at him. Hayabusa is not seen after this. Frank Welker voiced him. In the 2020 live-action film, Hayabusa is replaced by Xianniang. She is a powerful sorceress played by Gong Li. She can turn into a hawk. She helps Bori Khan. She challenges Mulan's choice to fight for a society that doesn't respect women. Xianniang later helps Mulan. She sacrifices her life to save Mulan from an arrow.

Khan

Khan is Mulan's horse. He has a black coat and white markings. He is very smart and confident. When he first sees Mushu, he is scared. Mulan calms him down and reveals who she is. He agrees to take her to the training grounds. Mushu and Cri-Kee ask for his help later. He refuses to get involved. Mulan causes an avalanche to stop the Huns. Khan risks his life to save Mulan. He is very close to Mulan but dislikes Mushu. In the second film, he gets angry at Mushu. Mushu tries to break up Mulan and Shang. Khan stomps on Mushu as payback. Frank Welker voiced him. In the 2020 live-action film, he is called Black Wind.

Little Brother

Little Brother is Mulan's pet dog. He has a blue collar. Mulan often uses him to spread chicken feed. She hangs a bone in front of him to make him run. Chris Sanders voiced him in the first movie. Frank Welker voiced him in the second movie.

Shan Yu

Shan Yu is the strong and cruel leader of the Huns. He is the main villain of the film. He is based on Genghis Khan. Miguel Ferrer voiced him. Shan Yu wants to conquer China. He and his army climb over the Great Wall. He wants to prove he is better than the Emperor. He has black eyes with orange centers. Shan Yu is skilled at living off the land. He has sharp senses. His pet falcon, Hayabusa, helps him. He is very strong. He can break down doors and slice through pillars easily. He kills without mercy. He is proud of his army. He refuses to avoid the Imperial troops.

Shan Yu's falcon finds a doll from a village. Shan Yu realizes the Imperial Army is waiting. He ambushes General Li's army. He wipes out the Emperor's best troops, including General Li. He burns the village. Li Shang's troops find no survivors. The doll is left behind. As they head for the Imperial City, the Huns ambush Li Shang's troops. Mulan causes an avalanche. This wipes out almost all of Shan Yu's army. Shan Yu and a few of his best warriors survive. Mulan, who was kicked out of the army, follows them.

Shan Yu hides in the palace. His men capture the Emperor. Shan Yu threatens the Emperor. Mulan, Li Shang, Yao, Chien-Pao, and Ling sneak into the palace. The three men are in disguise. Mulan and her friends defeat Shan Yu's men. Mushu fries Hayabusa. Mulan distracts Shan Yu. She reveals she was the one who wiped out his army. Shan Yu chases her onto the roof. Mulan disarms him. Mushu steals fireworks and aims them at Shan Yu. Mushu, Mulan, and Cri-Kee escape the roof. Shan Yu is pulled by a rocket into a tower full of fireworks. He dies in a huge explosion. Mulan is given Shan Yu's sword for her success.

In the 2020 live-action film, Shan Yu is played by Jason Scott Lee. He is renamed Bori Khan. He is a skilled warrior. He wants to avenge his father's death by killing the Emperor. He is from the Rouran people. He attacks Imperial outposts. Mulan tricks his men into setting off an avalanche. Many of his men die. But enough survive for Khan to sneak into the Imperial capital. He captures the Emperor. Mulan arrives to save the Emperor. Xianniang sacrifices herself to save Mulan. Khan and Mulan fight. Mulan disarms him. The Emperor catches an arrow Khan fires. Mulan kicks the arrow into Khan's chest, killing him.

Members of the Empire

The Emperor of China

The Emperor of China is the wise and kind leader of China. He lives in a grand palace. He has a long mustache and beard. He wears yellow clothes. In the first film, Shan Yu captures him. Mulan and Shang save him. The Emperor sternly tells Mulan off for pretending to be a soldier. But then he thanks her for saving China. He is the first person to bow to her. He offers her a position on his council. Mulan politely declines. She says she wants to return to her family. He gives her his crest and Shan Yu's sword. These are gifts for her efforts. After she leaves, he tells Li Shang to go after her. He says, "You don't meet a girl like that every dynasty." In the second film, he tells Mulan and Shang to take his daughters to be married. This will seal an alliance. Pat Morita voiced him in the first two films. In the 2020 live-action film, Jet Li plays him. He has a bigger role. He fights enemy warriors himself. He offers Mulan a chance to join the Imperial guard.

Chi-Fu

Chi-Fu is a member of the Emperor's council. He advises Li Shang. He does not want the new recruits to fight the Huns. He dislikes women. He is devoted to his job and loyal to the Emperor. But he is incompetent and arrogant. He tells Fa Zhou to teach Mulan silence. He orders Shang to execute Mulan when her secret is revealed. He believes Mulan is worthless because she is a woman. At the end of the film, the Emperor praises Mulan. He tells Chi-Fu to arrange Mulan for his council. Chi-Fu tries to stop him. He says there are no more seats. The Emperor then tells Mulan she can have Chi-Fu's job. Chi-Fu faints. He does not appear in Mulan II. James Hong voiced him. In the 2020 live-action film, he is replaced by The Chancellor. He has a smaller role. He does not interact with Mulan.

Daughters of the Emperor of China

The Emperor of China has three daughters: Ting-Ting, Mei, and Su. They first appear in Mulan II. He sends them in a carriage to marry the Princes of Qui Gong. This mission is to create peace.

Ting-Ting

Ting-Ting is the Emperor's eldest daughter. She is taller than her sisters. She is usually serious and tries to be a role model. She finds Ling's jokes funny but tries not to laugh. She thinks her snorting laugh is embarrassing. But when Ling has an accident, she can't help but laugh. Ling finds her snort cute. Sandra Oh did her speaking voice. Judy Kuhn did her singing voice.

Mei

Mei is the Emperor's middle daughter. She is in between her sisters in height. She likes Yao. She thinks he is good-looking and gentle. Mulan convinces her that her duty is to her heart. She writes a letter saying she cannot complete the mission. She realizes her duty is to her heart. Yao wins a wrestling fight and gives her a stuffed panda bear. She is passionate, brave, and caring. Lucy Liu did her speaking voice. Beth Blankenship did her singing voice.

Su

Su is the Emperor's youngest daughter. She is shorter than her sisters. She loves gathering food from trees. She likes spending time with Chien-Po, who also loves food. She is bright, childish, and cheerful. Lauren Tom did her speaking voice. Mandy Gonzalez did her singing voice.

Others

The Matchmaker

This character is an impatient and harsh woman. She judges potential brides. She calls Mulan too skinny. Cri-Kee causes trouble during Mulan's tea test. The Matchmaker falls and gets burning embers on her. Mulan tries to help, but it causes more fire. Mulan puts out the fire with tea. The Matchmaker blames Mulan. She calls Mulan a "disgrace." She says Mulan will never bring her family honor. Grandmother Fa calls her a "little stinker." In the second film, she throws a pot at Ling's head. She throws the masculine trio out. Miriam Margolyes voiced her in the first film. April Winchell voiced her in the second film. She appears in the 2020 live-action film. Cheng Pei-pei plays her.

Sha-Ron

Sha-Ron is a very excited little girl. She appears in Mulan II. She visits Fa Li and wants to see Mulan. Mulan trains her and other village girls how to fight. This happens during the "Lesson Number One" song. When General Shang arrives, she excitedly takes his helmet. Jillian Henry voiced her.

Lord Qin and Prince Jeeki

Lord Qin is a priest from Qigong. He appears in Mulan II. He allows Mulan to marry his son, Prince Jeeki. Prince Jeeki likes playing with a Chinese finger trap. Their wedding is interrupted. Lord Qin will not let Shang marry Mulan. But the Golden Dragon of Unity (Mushu's voice) speaks. Mushu tells Lord Qin that he chooses who should marry who. Lord Qin timidly allows Mulan and Shang to marry. He then plays with the finger trap. Keone Young voiced Lord Qin. Rob Paulsen voiced Prince Jeeki.