Lost in America... STILL!

You know you've studied too much history when...

You can start to point out the factual errors of the TV shows and movies you watched.

My 20th Century China class just made me realize how inaccurate MULAN and HUAN ZHU GE GE is.

Yes, Huan Zhu Ge Ge or My Fair Princess. Anyone still remember? Xiao Yan Zi, Wu Ah Ge, Erkang and Zi Wei... oh my word, that's how old now?!

Anyway, HZGG is really entertaining but horrifically inaccurate.
Eg. Fact: Manchurian women didn't bound their feet, but in order to be considered as "dainty" as the Chinese women, they walked on those "platform/ raised" shoes so that it would force them to walk slowly.
Fasle: Do you remember the way Xiao Yan Zi would "fly around" doing her antics? SO NOT TRUE! You can't even walk properly on them, much less "fly".

Fact: High-class Chinese women were considered the epitome of virtue if they stayed in their home 24/7 (talk about women suppression). Only the servant women could go out and buy groceries and supplies.
Fasle: There is no way Zi Wei or Xiao Yan Zi would have walked around the city like nobody's business. It would have been so shameful to Zi Wei at least.

The main accurate thing was probably the fact that they couldn't leave the palace and that's true. But do you know how big the Forbidden City is? It literally is a city. Because women coulnd't leave the palace, there were massive gardens and theatres built in the palace for entertainment. Isn't that so interesting?!

And I really like Mulan, but as Murdock puts it, the only accurate thing about was the way they used the Great Wall to alert the Chinese that the Hans were invading.

2 Obvious factual errors:
1. The Matchmaker scene was ABSOLUTELY wrong (but sooo funny I must say!). They do not beautify you before you meet her, she actually goes to your house most of the time, and the meeting does not take place with other girls.

2. Females are banned from the ancestral hall. Even if you want to pray to the Gods.

It's (sadly) so true that you can't believe everything you watch on the media.

posted by Funkee Ego @ 2:04 PM