The story of Mulan is one of the most inspirational stories, especially for women. In the past, Mulan’s father was a great warrior, but his leg had been injured during the battle. A man arrived one day with terrible news from the Emperor. China had been invaded by the Huns, its enemy. It had been ordered by the Emperor that every family must have one man join the Imperial Army. Mulan is the only child who was told to stay away since she was a woman. That meant that Mulan’s aging father had to fight…again. Mulan realized that her father was too old to fight. In the late hours of that night, she made a big decision. After praying to the Ancestors, she cut her hair short. It was then that she donned the warrior clothing of her father. In the middle of the night, Mulan hopped onto her father’s horse, Khan, dressed as a young man. Mulan was not the only one traveling on a horse. Her guardians were a dragon named Mushu and a cricket named Cri-Kee, sent from the Ancestors were with her on this journey. Therefore a lot of people get Mulan’s tattoo inspired by her story.
Meaning of Mulan Tattoo Designs
Mulan is a symbol of female power. Typically, women do just as well as or better than men at anything they do. She went against the norms and fought in the army at a time when women were just told to take care of the house.
She teaches us to not be afraid of being ourselves. Dare to defy the expectations of society. Let the world see you as you really are.
By going to war, Mulan proved that women were capable of enduring the pain and sacrifice men did. As a woman, she challenged the notion of what makes a man. In addition to fighting for her father, Mulan fought for herself in an effort to show that being a housewife isn’t the only option women have just because society says so. So what better way is there to represent female strength and celebrate that feminine energy than to get a Mulan tattoo?
Ideas For Mulan Tattoo Designs
In most cases, tattoo ideas featuring Mulan come from the original Disney animated film of 1998, along with a red dragon companion named Mushu. For tattoo collectors, Mulan provides plenty of inspiration. The addition of cherry blossoms is also an interesting take. However, the most popular type of Mulan tattoo is her cutting her hair short when she decided to join the army in place of her father. It is because that moment, right there represents rebellion, strength to stand against social norms, and being who you want to be, irrespective of ‘what people would say- don’t we all wish these words didn’t exist? And if your answer is Yes! these tattoo ideas are for you.
Where Should You Get Mulan Tattoo Designs
For Women
- Ankle
- Wrist
- Finger Spaces
- Hands
- Shoulder Blades
- Behind the Ears
For Men
- Chest
- Biceps
- Legs
- Neck
- Back
- Forearms
List of Mulan Tattoo Designs & Meanings
- Mulan Tattoo Design on the Arm
This beautiful silhouette of Mulan is perfect for beginners since the design is simple and yet symbolic. The wearer here has just gone for the outlines but even they have been made really colorful and not dull. This tattoo can be placed on an arm, leg, or even waist. The attention to detail like adding a comb is further enhancing the character’s relevance.
- Mulan Tattoo Design the Forearm
This artsy tattoo next in line is showing Mulan in action. There is no doubt that Mulan tattoos represent bravery, strength, and individuality. Here she is still in her feminine attire. The wearer of this tattoo has added really amazing colors in the background. The colors aligned in this fashion and the hair give an illusion of Mulan’s movements.
- Mulan Tattoo Design on the Biceps
Next in line is a tattoo representing Mulan from the famous animated movie. The wearer here did not choose a silhouette but rather a proper image indicating that the tattoo is self-explanatory. The moment captured is right before Mulan is about to cut her hair representing free will and rebellion.
- Mulan Tattoo Design with Half Faces
This is a very interesting one since both the feminine and masculine sides of Mulan have been illustrated. It shows that the wearer could mean to depict their own feminine and masculine side. It could also represent equality and how women can even perform roles that are assigned to males if they want to.
- Mulan Tattoo Design with the Comb Element
A flower-patterned hair comb slide was given to Mulan by her mother prior to meeting the Matchmaker. But it has a deeper significance. Her father looks at the flower and tells her that she’ll someday bloom like the late blossom in their garden’s blossom tree suggesting that everyone has their own pace. He then places the hair piece back in her long, dark hair. Mulan also put the comb aside when she wore her father’s armor and left for the war. So if you want to go for something discreet, this one is for you.
- Mulan Tattoo Design on the Full Arm
This full-arm tattoo has a lot of camouflaged elements from the story of Mulan. The most visible one from this side is Mulan’s comb with the flower. The wearer has added a lot of other flowers and text to fill it all up. Now if this is too much for you, you can always decrease the number of flowers here.
- Mulan Tattoo Design on the Ankle
Next in the series is this abstract Mulan tattoo with her sword and the dragon protector Mushu. The dragon is symbolic of the protector. The abstract outline gives it a modern touch. It can be worn on the ankle just like the wearer in the picture or on the arm as well. Both women and men celebrating feminism can go for this tattoo.
- Mulan Tattoo Design with the Sword
This clever and beautiful tattoo with Mulan being projected on a sword is quite symbolic. It not only represents bravery, courage, and feminism but also symbolizes authority and intellect. This tattoo can be worn on parts with a good amount of space like the back, arm, or thigh.
- Mulan Tattoo Design on the Leg
Mulan being one of the first inspirations of Disney where the main female lead did not belong to a princely and rich family is why so many people find her relatable. The wearer here has brought that very element here. This tattoo can also be worn on the leg, thigh, biceps, back, or neck.
- Bold Mulan Tattoo Design
In a time when her actions could’ve easily resulted in her death, she is outgoing, incredibly strong-willed, and doesn’t let her gender hold her back. The wearer of this tattoo could be a strong-willed, courageous character who shows strength in the face of adversity and fear,
- Mulan Tattoo Design on the Side of the Chest
This next one is also the legendary act of Mulan’s rebellion. Although, unlike other tattoos, this one is with Mulan not facing the front. The wearer has chosen the side of the chest to wear the tattoo but it is important to keep it as simple as possible since they do not age very well in this area.
- Elegant Mulan Tattoo Design
This elegant Mulan tattoo is not from her movie but rather the traditional story projection. The wearer has added a lot of colors that make the tattoo very lively. All the elements except the sword are indicative that this picture is from the time she had not undergone her transformation.
- Mulan Tattoo Design on the Ankle
This little bug is also a very famous part of the movie Mulan. It is believed to be a good luck charm and is given to Mulan by her grandmother as a good luck charm before the meeting with the matchmaker. This bug signifies luck in your favor, delicacy, and mischief. So if you are looking for a not-so-obvious tattoo from Mulan, this is the one to go with.
- The Upside Down Mulan Tattoo Design
The upside-down tattoo is a very creative take on representing Mulan’s transformation and honoring her bravery. The wearer has chosen the bicep which is the ideal place to get such a tattoo keeping in mind the space it would take.
- Elegant Sword Mulan Tattoo Design
This cool sword tattoo is from the part of the story where Mulan holds her father’s mighty sword. She is often seen with this and that’s the theme that the wearer here has explored. The pink flowers around the sword just add to its beauty of it. The sword in general is symbolic of freedom, power, and honor- all of these traits perfectly fit Mulan.
- Mulan Tattoo Design with a Hand-Fan
This tattoo raises the mysterious aspect of Mulan. The wearer has chosen to add other elements like a hand fan and butterflies. The hand fan is one of the most traditional feminine tattoo designs. The black and white theme here is perfect here but according to your choice, you could also add subtle colors.
- Mulan Tattoo Design on the Leg
The wearer here has worn this tattoo on his lower leg. This tattoo is for people who really want their tattoo to show because of its size and colors. The wearer has added a lot of elements here. Starting with the cherry blossoms, bug, and per dragon Mushu. Mulan is wearing short hair here meaning it’s from the time after she cut it.
- Mulan Tattoo Design with a Quote
The quote here is one of the most famous ones from the movie ‘Mulan’. A person who has overcome adversity and hardships is unique and learns a lot about life making them beautiful in their own way. Because Mulan overcame cultural prejudices caused by her non-conformity to women’s standards, she is considered a hero. She also faces difficulties as a woman serving in the military, but she ultimately saves China.
- Simple Mulan Tattoo Design
Here we have the figure of Mulan which is very different from others. The size of this tattoo is very small hence perfect for small areas like the wrist, nape of the neck, etc. This wearer has chosen to represent only the feminine form of Mulan before the transformation.
- Mulan Tattoo Design with Mushu
Lastly is the almighty dragon sent by Mulan’s ancestors. Dragons do hold a very high place of worship and as protectors in many countries. The colorful circles here in the background definitely match Mushu’s personality- goofy and carefree.
