Overview

The Emperor of China cares for nothing but clothes. The minister of the robes plays on this weakness to rob the royal weavers and persecute the Empress. Two rogues convince the Emperor they can weave a cloth which cannot be seen by anyone unfit for the position he holds. Everyone is afraid to confess that he cannot see the new clothes the Emperor orders. The resulting comic situations enable the rogues to save the Empress and the weavers and expose the villainy of the minister. The Emperor proudly walks in procession clad in nothing but a straight little shirt to show his people the glory of his new clothes.