The Times Australia
The Times World News

.
Times Media

.

China is criminalising clothing 'hurtful to the spirit and sentiments of the nation' – could this mean a kimono ban?

  • Written by Antonia Finnane, Professor (honorary), The University of Melbourne
China is criminalising clothing 'hurtful to the spirit and sentiments of the nation' – could this mean a kimono ban?

In August 2022 a young woman wearing a yukata[1] – a simple, summer-weight kimono – was having her photo taken on a street in picturesque Suzhou, China, when she was accosted by a police officer. Following an angry exchange, partly captured on her phone[2], she was arrested for disturbing the public peace.

The Suzhou Kimono Incident, as it came to be known, sparked an internet debate over the propriety of wearing kimonos and the legality of the policeman’s actions.

This was not the first time wearing a kimono in China had caused a furore, and it would not be the last. Another broke out in March this year[3], after a visitor to Nanjing, site of an infamous massacre by the Imperial Japanese Army in 1937, reported seeing a woman in a white kimono posing amidst the cherry blossoms in a Buddhist temple. He complained to the attendants but they said it was merely a matter of ethics[4]: after all, people were free to wear what they like.

That may soon change. A new draft law on public security published online at the beginning of this month includes a clause criminalising the wearing of clothes that might be “hurtful to the spirit and sentiments of the nation[5]”. If the law is passed, offenders will face penalties of up to 5,000 yuan (A$1,000) and up to 15 days jail.

Draft laws, routinely posted for comment, rarely attract many responses. The response to this one has been huge, with around 100,000 submissions[6] to date. Legal scholars in China[7] have weighed in, pointing out the fuzziness of this clause and its openness to abuse by local law enforcers.

And as one Beijing lawyer intimated[8], the legislation seems directly aimed at the kimono.

A ‘hurtful’ kimono?

Half a century ago, the target of sartorial struggle in China was “strange clothing and outlandish dress[9]” – tight pants were the example par excellence in the 1960s, succeeded by flares in the 1970s.

Such clothing was associated with the United States, the Soviet Union and Hong Kong, all sink-holes of decadence and natural enemies of China under Mao.

Chinese trousers patterns from the 1960s. Author’s collection., Author provided (no reuse)

Things have changed. Soviet revisionists have morphed into Russian allies; Hong Kong has been swallowed up by the mainland; and with jeans and t-shirts now ubiquitous in China, the US is no longer open to attack on the sartorial front.

Enter Japan, with its spectacular array of distinctive cultural products, strong youth following across East Asia and a wartime history that since the 1980s has been leveraged to foment nationalism in China[10].

A crowd, many in jeans and t-shirts. Jeans and t-shirts are now ubiquitous in China. EPA/MARK R. CRISTINO

In 1980, Japanese movie star Nakano Ryoko received a rapturous welcome when she visited China. Over the next few years, Japan inspired and provided training for the first generation of post-Mao fashion designers[11], who helped lay the foundations for a now-flourishing industry.

In the mid-1980s, a fully accessorised kimono[12] as a symbol of excellence in Japanese design was perfectly acceptable for publication in a Chinese magazine.

Simultaneously, however, a “new remembering[13]” of Japanese wartime atrocities – specifically the Nanjing massacre[14] – was emerging, soon to be endorsed by the ruling Communist Party. By the 1990s, a history that had been buried in the Mao years was being given full play.

All this helps explain the visceral responses to young Chinese women wearing kimonos today.

In April 2009, two high-impact films[15] about the Nanjing massacre were released. Images of Japanese soldiers raping Chinese women were fresh in people’s minds when, in September, young model Ding Beili posted a photo of herself online wearing a kimono. She attracted a storm of criticism.

“With so many countries in the world to pick from,” asked one blogger[16], “why did she have to pick Japan?”

A Chinese woman in a kimono. Kimonos are often worn at cosplay conventions, like this one in Nanjing in 2022. Leiem/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA[17][18]

Why indeed? The answer lies in something else that came to China from Japan: cosplay, popular across East Asia. The girl of the Suzhou Kimono Incident was a cosplayer, performing a role from the Japanese anime Summer Time Rendering[19]. Naturally, cosplayers view Japanese-inspired dress differently from their critics.

Among the great occasions for Chinese cosplay until recently were Japanese-style “summer festivals”, or matsuri. It was for a matsuri in Shanghai that Ding Beili donned a kimono in 2009. Increasingly popular in China in recent years, summer festivals were cancelled[20] in at least seven cities in August 2022 under rising anti-Japanese sentiment.

Read more: How the kimono became a symbol of oppression in some parts of Asia[21]

Adding the US to the mix

The ultra-nationalist Hu Xijin[22], former editor of the Global Times, has dismissed the issue of the kimono in China as a matter of no consequence. “Little Japan,” in his view, is just “a lackey of the US”.

The US-Japan alliance undoubtedly exacerbates Chinese hostility towards Japan, a country that like Australia[23] is an easier target for payback than the US. China’s response to the new tripartite agreement[24] between Japan, South Korea and the US was to slap a ban on Japanese seafood imports, on stated grounds[25] of health security.

The new draft law against “hurtful” dress was posted soon after the implementation of the seafood ban, leaving observers with a distinct impression of China as a place where people can neither eat Japanese fish nor wear Japanese clothes.

Older people must be reminded of a time half a century ago, when young people wearing “strange clothing and outlandish dress” were attacked on the streets, while seafood was hardly available at all.

Read more: The Communist Party claims to have brought prosperity and equality to China. Here's the real impact of its rule[26]

References

  1. ^ yukata (www.japan-guide.com)
  2. ^ partly captured on her phone (www.youtube.com)
  3. ^ March this year (www.newsdirectory3.com)
  4. ^ a matter of ethics (www.163.com)
  5. ^ hurtful to the spirit and sentiments of the nation (www.chinalawtranslate.com)
  6. ^ 100,000 submissions (www.npc.gov.cn)
  7. ^ Legal scholars in China (amp-scmp-com.cdn.ampproject.org)
  8. ^ one Beijing lawyer intimated (amp-scmp-com.cdn.ampproject.org)
  9. ^ strange clothing and outlandish dress (www.cambridge.org)
  10. ^ nationalism in China (www.jstor.org)
  11. ^ post-Mao fashion designers (www.bloomsbury.com)
  12. ^ kimono (www.jstor.org)
  13. ^ new remembering (www.jstor.org)
  14. ^ Nanjing massacre (en.wikipedia.org)
  15. ^ two high-impact films (www.cctv.com)
  16. ^ asked one blogger (raindog.pixnet.net)
  17. ^ Leiem/Wikimedia Commons (commons.wikimedia.org)
  18. ^ CC BY-SA (creativecommons.org)
  19. ^ Summer Time Rendering (en.wikipedia.org)
  20. ^ summer festivals were cancelled (thechinaproject.com)
  21. ^ How the kimono became a symbol of oppression in some parts of Asia (theconversation.com)
  22. ^ Hu Xijin (www.sydneytoday.com)
  23. ^ like Australia (www.ussc.edu.au)
  24. ^ new tripartite agreement (www.whitehouse.gov)
  25. ^ stated grounds (edition.cnn.com)
  26. ^ The Communist Party claims to have brought prosperity and equality to China. Here's the real impact of its rule (theconversation.com)

Read more https://theconversation.com/china-is-criminalising-clothing-hurtful-to-the-spirit-and-sentiments-of-the-nation-could-this-mean-a-kimono-ban-213153

The Times Features

Amazon Australia and DoorDash announce two-year DashPass offer only for Prime members

New and existing Prime members in Australia can enjoy a two-year membership to DashPass for free, and gain access to AU$0 delivery fees on eligible DoorDash orders New offer co...

6 things to do if your child’s weight is beyond the ideal range – and 1 thing to avoid

One of the more significant challenges we face as parents is making sure our kids are growing at a healthy rate. To manage this, we take them for regular check-ups with our GP...

Joykids Australia Presents the Joykids Family Rave: A Weekend Adventure Like No Other

Get ready to kick off the first day of summer and the festive season with an unforgettable family adventure! Joykids Australia is excited to announce the Joykids Family Rave—an...

New study suggests weight loss drugs like Ozempic could help with knee pain. Here’s why there may be a link

The drug semaglutide, commonly known by the brand names Ozempic or Wegovy, was originally developed[1] to help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels. How...

Maintaining Your Pool After a Marble Interior Upgrade

After upgrading your pool with a marble interior, it’s crucial to understand that maintenance is key to preserving its elegance and longevity. You’ll want to regularly skim for d...

Labor using explanatory document to hide true powers of Misinformation Bill

The opinions and commentary of individuals could be deemed misinformation under Labor’s proposed legislation changes, according to James McComish of Victorian Bar. Appearing in...

Times Magazine

Charging Ahead: Driving Into the Future – How Australian Drivers are Adapting to Electric Vehicles

Adapting to electric vehicles is Australia’s current road trip towards sustainability. “Driving into the future: How Australian drivers are adapting to electric vehicles” is a topic that has garnered much enthusiasm, fueled by government tax breaks, ...

Protect Your Vehicle with a Quality Metal Carport

Advantages of Choosing Metal Carports When you are looking for a way to protect your vehicles from the elements, one of the best options is a metal carport. Metal carport kits in Melbourne offer a variety of advantages over other types of carport...

Direct Mail Marketing in the Digital Marketing World

Nowadays marketing is primarily digital because it is cheap and easy to set up and maintain, and has a wide reach. However, direct mail marketing can still have a significant positive impact on your business. In fact, combining direct mail marketin...

Satisfy the Sweet Tooth with Chocolate Covered Strawberry Near Me

Chocolate-covered strawberries are a classic treat that can be enjoyed any time of year. Whether you’re looking for something sweet to satisfy your sweet tooth or a unique gift for a special someone, this delicious treat is sure to bring a smile to...

Latidreams Review: Where Dreams of Love Become Reality

In a digital age where love is but a swipe away, Latidreams.com emerges as a beacon for those yearning for a deeper connection. It's not just another dating site; it's a romantic odyssey waiting to unfold. With a suite of innovative features like L...

NIDA welcomes all to Open Day

NIDA WELCOMES ALL TO OPEN DAY – SATURDAY 18 JUNE 2022 This weekend NIDA Open Day will welcome visitors who are curious or passionate about the arts and entertainment industries to explore NIDA’s many world-renown educational offerings. From des...