Why did they publicly apologize? The incident started with the “Old Xian” event: Old Xian's Ming Dynasty-style hanfu was accused by Koreans of copying Korean traditional clothing (hanbok). Later, some even claimed that hanfu originated from hanbok. The Chinese Academy of History even published an article refuting this ridiculous claim. The real trigger was when, during the online dispute between Chinese and Korean netizens over “hanfu vs. hanbok,” the game “Shining Nikki” released a card featuring a costume similar to Ming Dynasty-style hanfu but paired it with Korean elements. This was used as evidence that hanfu originated from hanbok, leading to players angrily accusing the game of “licking Korea.” Korean netizens claimed that Chinese hanfu was derived from Korean hanbok, causing intense arguments between Chinese and Korean netizens. At this critical moment, “Shining Nikki,” as a domestic Chinese game, launched a new outfit full of hanfu elements but labeled it as hanbok. Korean netizens then used this incident to attack Chinese netizens, leading to the situation you see now.
Then, Koreans distorted history, using isolated evidence from the Qing Dynasty's continuation of the Zizhi Tongjian and the popularity of square-collar half-sleeves in Mongol palaces during the Yuan Dynasty to create a myth of “Goryeo style,” claiming that Ming Dynasty-style hanfu originated from “Goryeo style.” They further attempted to rewrite history by monopolizing the concept of separate upper and lower garments (aoqun) as invented by Northern Tungusic peoples, of which the Korean people are a part, and tried to limit hanfu to tailored clothing, ignoring the fact that Emperor Huangdi wore aoqun, the oldest form of separated upper and lower garments. I have previously found numerous ancient terracotta figurines as evidence of separated upper and lower garments in hanfu. However, Koreans insist on holding onto the internet myth of “Goryeo style,” ultimately leading to mutual “police actions” where young people from both sides clashed online.
In ancient times, Joseon, as a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty, emulated China in terms of clothing, etiquette, customs, and culture. This is why Korean traditional clothing is so similar to Ming Dynasty-style hanfu. However, today, South Korea, a small country split off from the larger Joseon, claims that hanfu originated from Korea. Some experts even wrote articles stating that the similarity between hanbok and Ming Dynasty-style hanfu is only true for court attire, while commoners' clothing was different and more popular in the Ming Dynasty, leading to the absurd conclusion that hanfu was influenced by hanbok. It seems they have forgotten all the favors bestowed upon them by the Ming Dynasty.
Have you been following the recent disputes between China and Korea regarding traditional clothing? A young man who likes hanfu uploaded a set of photos of himself wearing Ming Dynasty-style hanfu to the internet. Later, some Korean netizens claimed that this was actually hanbok. In fact, Korean traditional clothing evolved from Ming Dynasty-style hanfu, so it's normal for them to look similar. However, many people still confuse hanfu and hanbok. Today, let's take a look at some traditional Ming Dynasty-style hanfu and appreciate their classical beauty.
via. Weibo @Aiguqingliu It's worth noting that after the clothing dispute gained widespread attention in South Korea, some Korean media outlets sought expert opinions. One Korean expert said that hanbok and hanfu, especially Ming Dynasty-style hanfu, are easily confused; another explained that “for a long time, Chinese and Korean clothing have influenced each other and developed together. Although many of our official costumes came from China, our clothing has also been popular in China,” urging people not to be overly concerned.
For example, the court attire of the Korean Joseon Dynasty almost entirely copied that of the Ming Dynasty. The grand ceremonial attire of Joseon queens has always been modeled after the phoenix robes of Chinese empresses. After copying Ming Dynasty-style hanfu, Korean hanbok basically took its final form. This is why the hanbok seen in popular Korean dramas like “Dae Jang Geum” looks very similar to Ming Dynasty-style hanfu. Once you understand this relationship, you might realize why the girl was stripped of her clothes on the street—she was simply mistaken.
The person who stripped the girl's clothes in public later said that he did so because he couldn't stand the current generation of young people, “who don't learn anything good and just imitate the clothing styles from Korean TV dramas.” What? Imitate Korean TV dramas? Upon closer inspection, it turns out that the girl was wearing Ming Dynasty-style hanfu. She truly suffered an injustice. Ming Dynasty-style hanfu, as the name suggests, specifically refers to the clothing of the Han people during the Ming Dynasty. Unlike the “ruqun” popular in the Tang Dynasty, Ming Dynasty-style hanfu is less ethereal and more dignified. Instead of the “short top, long bottom” style of the Tang Dynasty, the upper garment became longer, and the exposed area of the lower garment became shorter. Additionally, the design evolved from cross-collar to primarily round-collar robes.
So why do some people mistake Ming Dynasty-style hanfu for Korean clothing? This is because, throughout ancient history, China's feudal dynasties were often emulated by surrounding smaller countries, especially in terms of clothing. For example, the Japanese kimono's ancestor, “Jūnihitoe,” evolved from the Tang Dynasty's ruqun after it was introduced to Japan. Similarly, the court attire of the Korean Joseon Dynasty almost entirely copied that of the Ming Dynasty. The grand ceremonial attire of Joseon queens has always been modeled after the phoenix robes of Chinese empresses. After copying Ming Dynasty-style hanfu, Korean hanbok basically took its final form. This is why the hanbok seen in popular Korean dramas like “Dae Jang Geum” looks very similar to Ming Dynasty-style hanfu. Once you understand this relationship, you might realize why the girl was stripped of her clothes on the street—she was simply mistaken.
Hanbok • Hanbok evolved from Ming Dynasty-style ruqun and is completely unrelated to Tang Dynasty high-waist ruqun. • High-waist ruqun belongs to the ruqun system, with a top (ru) and a skirt (qun) below. • Just by looking at the outside, you can see that in high-waist ruqun, the ru is inside, and the belt is not on the ru but on the skirt. According to the way it is worn, one first puts on the ru, then the skirt, and finally ties the belt. • In contrast, Korean clothing involves putting on the skirt first, then the outer layer, which is a modified version of Ming Dynasty-style ruqun.
The Disney animation “Turning Red” has once again stirred up controversy among Koreans! In the animation, the character Mei's ancestor, Xin Yi Jiao, wears a Ming Dynasty-style hanfu that is very meticulously designed, not only reproducing the “central seam” of the clothing but also adopting the hairstyle “Di Ji” commonly worn by women of that era. Therefore, Koreans are once again claiming that this is their hanbok. The designer, a Chinese person named You Qian, stated that Xin Yi Jiao is set in the Ming Dynasty, so she designed a Ming Dynasty-style hanfu.