Don't judge people by their clothes

The proposal to make Zhongshan suits the formal wear for Chinese people is well-intentioned but it is impossible to turn back the clock, says an article on eastday.com. Excerpts:

By promoting the Zhongshan suit, the two members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference who made the proposal want the younger generation to inherit traditional Chinese values and a historical identity. However, such a mission is too much for a suit to bear. Fashions come and go, and styles evolve.

Zhongshan suits are just clothes to be worn, rather than carriers of our cultural and historical heritage. It's improper to judge people's patriotism now on whether they are wearing Chinese- or Western-style clothes. Values might remain the same but fashions change.

Moreover, there are 56 ethnic groups in China and each group has its own traditional clothing. Getting everyone to wear a Zhongshan suit would be contrary to the vitality of diversity. The fact is, the Zhongshan suit is no longer popular, so let fashion be fashion.

(China Daily 03/14/2013 page10)