Kevin Carrico, Postdoctoral Fellow, Chinese Studies, Center for East Asian Studies
Why does a group of urban Han youth believe that Manchus, the former rulers of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), continue to control the political, military, cultural, educational, and economic institutions of today’s China? This paper analyzes conspiracy theories promoted by members of the Han Clothing Movement (漢服運動), a popular traditionalist, majority ethno-nationalist group. Disillusioned with the profane present in the sprawling metropolises in which they live, movement participants promote the revitalization of what they call “the real Han” and “the real China” through traditionalist clothing, etiquette, ritual, and education.