Hua Zhou is a supporting character in Disney's 2020 remake of Mulan. He is a retired war hero and the father of Hua Mulan. When an emergency calls for the aged Hua Zhou to return to battle, Mulan secretly takes his place under the guise of a man.
He is based on Fa Zhou from the original 1998 animated film.
Role in the film
Hua Zhou is first seen seeing his daughter Mulan chasing a chicken across the village which she leads the chicken into its coop, much to Mulan accidentally causing a mess across the village as he stares at his daughter in worry. He then discusses with his wife Hua Li at home that his daughter is trying to control herself. During a discussion, Hua Li tells him that the Matchmaker will find a good husband for Mulan to marry, fearing that the people would call Mulan a witch, telling Zhou to have a talk with his daughter. Zhou then approaches Mulan repairing the broken wing from the statue of the Phoenix, asking her why the Phoenix sits at the entrance of the shrine, which he describes the Phoenix as the emissary of the Hua family ancestors, thinking that the Phoenix will protect Mulan, even though the wing from her statue is broken, as well as telling Mulan about using the power of chi in a wise way as this is mostly for warriors, telling her to bring honor to her family.
Years later when Mulan grows up, Hua Li tells her that the Matchmaker has found an auspicious match while her husband Hua Zhou tells her to sit down for a conversation. During a conversation, Mulan tells her family that she will bring honor to them. However, after a failed conversation with the Matchmaker, the Chancellor brings a decree to the Hua family to join the fight, which Hua Zhou was chosen to join the battle. Zhou tells the Chancellor that he has joined the Imperial Army since his last battle, as well as telling him about his two daughters. Later that evening, Hua Li discusses with Hua Zhou that he made great sacrifices to save the village. As Mulan tries to prevent her father from going to war, which he tells Mulan that he must bring honor to his family on the battlefield just as he tells Mulan to learn her place. As he leaves, his wife Hua Li tells Mulan that her husband Hua Zhou will not return from war.
Mulan approaches her father getting ready for war as she studies his sword, as well as the symbol of the Phoenix, telling her that the Phoenix followed Zhou into battle before and will follow him when he goes to battle. He then tells Mulan that she must be courageous for her family, telling her that it is his honor to sacrifice for the Emperor just before Zhou tells his daughter to get some rest as he plans to leave for war in the morning. Hearing of this, Mulan takes Hua Zhou's sword and armor to protect her father. After seeing that Mulan has left for war, Hua Zhou tells his wife that he must protect Mulan to make sure she is safe. Zhou visits his family's shrine telling his ancestors to protect Mulan by sending in the Phoenix to protect her.
During Mulan's conversation with Commander Tung, the latter tells her that he has been sensing the secret of her father Hua Zhou was a great soldier, warning Mulan that she can't allow her father's legacy to hold her back, convincing Mulan to cultivate her chi which she continues to do so to get ready for battle against the Rourans.
After Mulan returns from war, she approaches Hua Zhou who is furious of her taking his horse, his sword (which she lost), and his armor to save her family, even though she was planning to bring honor to her family, which Zhou apologizes to Mulan because his daughter means everything to him just as he emotionally reunites with his daughter, making amends with her. Suddenly, Commander Tung approaches Hua Zhou, telling him that he is honored to receive him and the Emperor's Guard while Sergeant Qiang presents the gift to Mulan for bringing honor to her family, ancestors, kingdom, and country which Mulan makes amends with her father as Mulan is praised for her heroic deeds.
Gallery
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Trivia
- Zhou's family name, "Fa", was changed to "Hua" to make it close to the original story.
- Hua Zhou's sword bears the Chinese characters for "Loyal" (Chinese: 忠), "Brave" (Chinese: 勇), and "True" (Chinese: 真) in this film, unlike in the original 1998 film, which did not have any writing on it.
- Unlike the original incarnation of Mulan's father, this incarnation has a younger daughter named Hua Xiu.
- Hua Zhou lacks the mustache/goatee combo his animated version has.
See also
