In Kingston's version, Hua Mu-lan, a legendary ancient Chinese woman who disguised herself as a man to take her father's place in the army, has become a female hero fighting for equal rights and looking to seek revenge on behalf of her family. Her father has even tattooed characters on her back, so she'll never forget to "Seek revenge for the family."
寫到花木蘭的故事，在湯婷婷的筆下，這位中國古代「代父從軍」的巾幗女英雄變成要爭取男女平等，並為家族復仇的戰士，父親還在她背上刻字，要她永遠記得「為家報仇」。