New picture book tells story of folk legend

"In my eyes, the most important thing is not that Mulan is brave enough to go to the battlefield, but that after so many experiences, she still chooses to return to her hometown. The emperor gives Mulan plenty of treasures, but she doesn't want them, and the most precious thing for her is still her sister, father and mother. That touches me deeply," Ye says.

In the book, Ye has drawn two rabbits and one phoenix as Mulan's companions. Ye says the phoenix symbolizes the power of woman, and the rabbits are a metaphor for the feeling of homesick.

During her drawing of the book, Ye says the more she studies the ancient story, the more Mulan relates to her.

"Mulan now lives in my heart, and I hope in the hearts of people who like her. Every simple, kind and resolute soul is Mulan," she says.

Li Hong contributed to this story.