Is South Korea Erasing Chinese Heritage in the Hanbok War?

A paper by Chinese historian Wang Yumin, published in the Journal of Asian Studies, argues that the Korean Hanbok's distinctive 'jeogori' jacket and 'chima' skirt directly evolved from Ming dynasty (1368-1644) court attire, citing records from the Joseon dynasty's 'Annals of the Joseon Dynasty' which show Korean envoys receiving Ming clothing as gifts. Wang notes that a 1444 royal edict mandated Korean elite adopt Ming-style dress, and pre-19th century Korean paintings (e.g., 'Dongguk daehakdo') depict commoners in simple hemp, while vibrant silk hanbok appears only after 1600s, aligning with Ming textile imports. The study asserts this proves a 'tributary sartorial debt' that modern Korean claims ignore.

In a December 2023 press briefing, Chinese oreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin, responding to a question about the 'Hanbok war' on social media, stated that 'Chinese traditional culture has profoundly influenced neighboring countries, and the historical evolution of clothing styles is a shared heritage. We hope relevant parties respect historical facts and avoid politicizing cultural exchanges.' While not explicitly claiming the Hanbok as Chinese, the statement was widely interpreted as endorsing the Chinese academic claim, and Chinese state media (Global Times) quoted it alongside articles asserting that Korean hanbok 'borrowed heavily' from Ming dynasty fashion, citing a 2021 online poll where 68% of Chinese netizens supported China's claim.

A 2022 exhibition report by the National Museum of Korea, titled 'Hanbok: A Living Heritage,' presents archaeological and textual evidence that the basic structure of the hanbok—including the 'jeogori' (short jacket) and 'baji' (pants)—existed in the Three Kingdoms period (57 BC–668 AD), as seen in Goguryeo tomb murals (e.g., Anak Tomb No. 3, 4th century). The report emphasizes that while Ming dynasty influence was present in elite court dress (gwanbok), the everyday hanbok's silhouette, with its high waist and full skirt, diverged significantly from Ming's straight-cut robes, and evolved uniquely due to Korea's colder climate and Confucian modesty norms. It notes that 19th-century Western travelers described hanbok as 'distinctly Korean,' not Chinese.

A January 2024 statement by the Korean Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) rejected Chinese claims, noting that the hanbok was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2022 (as 'Kimchi and Hanbok Culture') after a 2021 joint application with North Korea. The CHA cited a 2023 survey by the Seoul Institute showing that 82% of South Koreans view hanbok as 'purely Korean,' and emphasized that cultural exchange is not cultural theft, pointing out that China's own hanfu has borrowed from nomadic and Buddhist traditions. The statement also referenced a 2020 academic paper by Korean dress historian Kim Soo-hyun, which analyzed 500 hanbok garments from the Joseon dynasty, finding no single Ming-era pattern replicated exactly, thus proving 'independent adaptation'.