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14. The Sino-Japanese War
On July 7, 1937, war erupted between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan, the opening stage of what eventually became World War II. The full-scale war developed over a series of military incidents which dated from 1931. The People’s Republic of China considers 1931 as when the war actually began. Chinese Nationalist forces and Communist forces opposed the Japanese, and each other. After two years of fighting the Japanese were deep within the interior of China when the war reached a period of stagnation. Heavy fighting continued, with neither side gaining much ground. The war caused economic chaos, added to by corruption within the Chinese bureaucracy and military.
Most of the Chinese film industry fled to Hong Kong, and other points of perceived safety. In Shanghai, the head of the Xinhua Film Company, Zhang Shankun, recognized the propaganda value of the Mulan legend, presented in film. He recruited Ouyang Yuqian, a noted playwright, scriptwriter, and opera star to write a script based on the Mulan legend. It was a story well-known to Shanghai audiences, and Yuqian adapted it to their tastes. He infused the script with nationalist leanings to inspire continued sacrifices while resisting the Japanese invaders. Yuqian used the basic story of the legend, but gave his characters dialogue which referenced the situation concerning the war with Japan. He emphasized the role of women bringing it to a successful conclusion.