In one of the more intimate scenes in Disney’s “Mulan,” patriarch Fa Zhou, portrayed by actor Tzi Ma, warns his daughter of the harsh realities surrounding the way society treats women, while simultaneously acknowledging her brilliance.
“Your ‘qi’ is strong, Mulan,” Ma says in the film, referencing the vital life force often discussed in traditional Chinese medicine. “But qi is for warriors, not daughters. Soon you’ll be a young woman and it is time to hide your gift away to silence its voice. I say this to protect you.”