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Neutrality Commitment|
This project does not aim to criticize or defend any specific historical narrative or nation. We objectively present differences in textbook and official descriptions to encourage multi-faceted understanding.
ArchiveCultural debates/intangible cultural heritageFrom 2020 (controversy intensifies)China/Korea
Description of the origin and cultural affiliation of kimchi
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ChinaCultural debates/intangible cultural heritageFrom 2020 (controversy intensifies)China/Korea
Description of the origin and cultural affiliation of kimchi
Source:Claims of Chinese media and academic institutions (general description)
Source Nature:
Academic & Scientific ResearchVia Translation
Kimchi (Korean: 김치) is a pickle made by salting vegetables such as Chinese cabbage and fermenting them with condiments such as chili peppers, garlic, and fish sauce, and is one of the representative examples of fermented food culture in East Asia.
Some Chinese media and scholars believe that kimchi is derived from China's pao tsai culture. The history of salting and fermenting vegetables in China can be traced back more than 3,000 years to the Book of Poems, and China is said to be the birthplace of pickled food culture.
In November 2020, when the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), led by China, established the international standard for Pao cai (ISO 24220), China's state-run media, Global Times, reported that ``China has achieved the status of kimchi suzerain.'' China claims that Korean kimchi is a type of Chinese pickled vegetable or that it was developed under its influence, and that it is included in the broader Chinese pickle culture.
Additionally, from around 2023, the number of influencers and netizens claiming that ``kimchi originated in China'' increased rapidly on Chinese SNS (Weibo, Douyin, etc.), and a fierce online debate with South Korea took place. Some Chinese commentators argue that because chili peppers were introduced to the Korean Peninsula after the 16th century (thought to have come via Japan), Korean pickle culture before that time was essentially the same as Chinese pickles.
Officially, the Chinese government has taken a cautious stance on the controversy, but welcomed the establishment of the ISO standard as "international recognition of China's foamy vegetable industry."
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Notes on this comparison
This comparison is based on general descriptions from official or widely used history textbooks in each country. While minor nuances may change in translation, the goal is to highlight differences in how major events are perceived, the order of description, and what is emphasized. In particular, notable differences in the naming of events and the background of their occurrence can be seen between "China" and "Japan".