Chi-Fu

Antagonist Overview

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Chi-Fu is the Emperor's trusted and arrogant advisor in Disney's animated film, Mulan

Background[]

Chi-Fu prides himself in being Emperor's counsel; at one point, he boasts that he got the position on his own, rather than an instigating factor, like nepotism. He is typically stationed at the palace of the Imperial City, standing beside the Emperor in the latter's throne room. Chi-Fu is tasked with upholding China's laws and values, both to which he is strictly loyal.

Personality[]

Chi-Fu is pompous and elitist. He believes that women are inherently inferior to men—a belief that persists even after Mulan saves China. Despite this, he doesn't appear to be very fond of the soldiers, either, as when he says they're unfit to be soldiers, he says "those BOYS" with disgust and disdain. He also doesn't seem to even care when conscripting soldiers whether or not they have something that would render them ineligible to serve in combat, as evidenced by giving a conscription notice to the elderly Fa Zhou, even after Mulan tried to protest the decision and cited an injury her father suffered in the past that was strongly implied to prevent him from doing even basic training as a reason not to conscript him (however, this is also because he is the only male member of his household, thus there is no one else to take his place).

He also belittles Shang, voicing the opinion that Shang only received his position through family ties (which is not completely untrue, seeing as his father was the General of the whole army who gave him the position of captain) despite Shang proving he was clearly competent and deserved the title. Despite his self-inflated belief of himself, he is very whiny and cowardly. He hates Mulan because she dared to defy her role as a woman, continuing to criticize her despite her heroism. Because of his pompous attitude, he is often teased by the soldiers (ex. In the song "A Girl Worth Fighting For", when he sings "I got a girl back home who's unlike any other", Yao sings back with "Yeah, the only girl who'd love him is his mother").

Despite his negative behavior, he does show a positive trait in being industrious and loyal to the Emperor, as when the Emperor ordered the distribution of conscription notices to all of China, Chi-Fu went as far as to distribute them himself. He also shows genuine sadness when he finds the Imperial Army has been slaughtered by the Huns.

Appearances[]

Mulan[]

Chi-Fu first appears when General Li arrives to inform the Emperor of the Hun invasion, of which Chi-Fu expresses disbelief, citing the strength of the Great Wall. However, the Emperor takes the threat seriously and tasks Chi-Fu with distributing conscription notices to all of China. The notices require one man from every family to serve in the Imperial Army.

During this task, Chi-Fu comes to Mulan's village and announces the Emperor's orders. He is insulted when Mulan pleads with him to spare her father, citing Fa Zhou's previous war service. Here is where he first reveals his sexism, telling Fa Zhou to teach his daughter silence in the presence of men, not even dignifying her with a reply to her face. After ordering Fa Zhou to report for basic training in the morning, he continues to conscript the rest of the villagers.

The next day, Chi-Fu is seen with General Li at the military camp. He is dismayed to learn that General Li has promoted Li Shang to Captain, putting Shang in charge of training the new recruits, believing Li Shang is too inexperienced and irritated that he only got the promotion simply because he is General Li's son. Chi-Fu is charged with observing the training and, when the recruits are ready, to allow them to report to General Li with the rest of the army. After the General requests a full report in three weeks, Chi-Fu snidely remarks to Shang that he won't "leave anything out!". Though the recruits technically complete their training around that designated time, Chi Fu points out to Shang (with relative validity) that this does not make them soldiers, having written a scathing report on their performance. Chi-Fu then goes to bathe but quickly leaves after being bullied by the army men. Mushu, disguised as an army messenger, delivers him a forged message from the General, "ordering" that Shang's troops are needed and moved to the war front.

Chi-Fu is next seen during the "Girl Worth Fighting For" song sequence, citing his own girl back home (his mother), which brings much mocking from the troops. He hides for most of the Hun battle (because of not being a soldier) after Mushu accidentally fired a cannon causing their position to be given away to Shan Yu and the Huns, but is next seen discovering Mulan's identity as a woman. He admits he had suspicions towards Mulan, dragging her out of the tent and revealing the news to the troops. Despite her doing it to save her father and actually defeating the Hun Army, Chi-Fu declares "ultimate dishonor" on her and cites the law which states that Mulan must be executed (as women are forbidden to join the army), and also stops Khan, Yao, Ling, and Chien Po from halting the execution. However, much to Chi-Fu's surprise, Shang spares Mulan's life, as he owes Mulan a debt from when she saved his life during the battle. Chi-Fu attempts to argue the matter and begs to execute Mulan, but gives in when Shang refuses to execute her and orders the army to move out, to Chi-Fu's disbelief.

Chi-Fu returns to the Imperial City, alongside the army, to a hero's welcome. He is shown to be the only one who is truly happy, however, as the rest of the platoon is upset about losing Mulan because of what Chi-Fu did to her. He hands Shang the sword of the Hun leader Shan Yu to present to the emperor. Chi-Fu disappears for most of the final battle against the Huns. He reappears after Mulan defeats Shan Yu, angered at his official's hat being burned by the fireworks, citing it as a deliberate attempt on his life. When Shang defends her, noting that Mulan is a hero, Chi-Fu dismisses the thought by arrogantly stating his belief that as a woman, Mulan will never be worth anything. Shang angrily prepares to assault Chi-Fu but is stopped by the Emperor. When the Emperor begins to list the faults Mulan has committed, Chi-Fu then shows a grin, which turns to a look of shock when the Emperor instead honors Mulan by bowing to her. He is the first to follow the Emperor's example by throwing himself down to kow-tow (an Eastern bowing position that consists of kneeling with one's face and palms to the floor). When the Emperor offers Mulan a council position, Chi-Fu attempts to downplay the offer, citing that there are no open council positions but faints when the Emperor offers Mulan Chi-Fu's own council position. However, Mulan declines the offer as she wishes to return home to her family.

Other appearances[]

Chancellor Chi-Fu appears briefly in the House of Mouse episode "House of Genius", though his robe appears to be red and his hat appears to be yellow.

Printed media[]

Mulan's Adventure Journal: The Palace of Secrets[]

Chancellor Chi-Fu appears in a major role in the Disney Mulan's Adventure Journal: The Palace of Secrets comic which serves either as an alternate sequel to the 1998 Mulan movie or a midquel between it and the 2004 sequel movie Mulan II.

In this comic, he retains his position as Counselor to the Emperor. During the Spring Festival, the Emperor barely survives an assassination attempt by a secret organization of dissenters known as the Golden Tiger and summons Mulan to the Imperial Palace to infiltrate his court and discover those behind the plot as he knows they have infiltrated the court. Mulan along with her grandmother and Mushu arrive there soon after. He is initially hostile to Mulan and her grandmother, not believing Mulan is fit to be there and is annoyed at her grandmother's antics and etiquette. He introduces Mulan to members of the court at the next court gathering only to be irritated at her lack of etiquette. He was also instructed to aid Mulan in playing her role to properly infiltrate the court, giving scrolls containing information on court etiquette, customs, titles and honorifics intending to quiz her before the next court gathering.

Meanwhile he infiltrates the Golden Tiger after finding one their masks and attends a meeting while Mulan follows him. He is exposed after she catches him in the meeting and they escape the Golden Tiger whom suspected he was deceiving them all along. He apologizes for doubting Mulan's fighting prowess as she does for doubting his loyalty to the Emperor and tells her how he feels helpless in his inability to keep the Emperor safe after having spent his entire career doing so. They work together from that point on to discover the identities of the Golder Tiger infiltrators in the palace.

When the Golden Tiger successfully poison the Emperor, Mulan is forced to flee after Princess Lian Mei, the Emperor's cousin and a member of the Golden Tiger accused her grandmother of poisoning him with tea. Chi-Fu stops the guards chasing Mulan as she flees by feigning injury. He eventually finds her, reveals he saw blood on Lian Mei's arm (as did Mulan earlier that day) and thus suspected her of being among the Golden Tiger and bids her to stay in a stable while he vows to do what he can to help her grandmother.

The next day he is told of and aids in a plan to save the Emperor and expose Ling Mei by Mulan and Shang (who also learned of the plot on the Emperor's life and came to help Mulan). He and Mulan search Ling Mei's room while Shang and grandmother Fa go and acquire the antidote ingredients to the poison. Mulan discovers a mask of the Golden Tiger and poison used in the Emperor's tea but Ling Mei appears and take down Chi-Fu while Mulan escapes to the roof area of the palace. Chi-Fu comes to and has guards arrest Ling Mei for treason and conspiring to assassinate the Emperor.

After the Emperor is given the antidote and saved, that night a celebration is had. Chi-Fu tells court officials he is honored to know her though they still need to work on her etiquette and Chi-Fu praises Mulan and Grandmother Fa to the citizens of China with Mulan and Mulan praising him for his own role. The next day as Mulan prepares to leave he offers Mulan his position as Counselor to the Emperor but she politely refuses telling him that there is no one more loyal and wise as him as Counselor. He then watches the horizon with her, the Emperor, Shang, Mushu and Grandmother Fa.

Live-action appearances[]

Mulan (2020 film)[]

Chi-Fu (not referred by name, only by his job as the Chancellor) appears in the movie, played by Nelson Lee.

Trivia[]

In the Chinese characters on his picture to the emperor, his name is written as "其福".
"Chi-Fu" means "to bully" or "bully" in Chinese, particularly fitting to his personality.
He tends to look at people in the eyes, which is considered rude and disrespectful in China.
Chi-Fu squeals when a panda eats his slipper. Ironically, a decade after the film's release, James Hong would appear in DreamWorks' Kung Fu Panda where he voiced Mr. Ping, a goose who is the adopted father of the protagonist panda Po.

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