A new cafe has opened in Beijing's Forbidden City where
Starbucks once had a controversial outlet that was shut down amid
media criticism two months ago, the Beijing Daily reported
yesterday.
"There is an essential difference between the new shop and the
former one. It's owned by the Forbidden City museum," Li Wenru, the
deputy curator of the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City, told the
newspaper.
The new shop bears the name Forbidden City Cafe.
"Apart from coffee, the shop also sells Chinese beverages like
black and green tea. So strictly speaking, it is more than just a
cafe," Li said.
The report said the parlor is decorated with wooden tables,
chairs and cabinets. The walls are strewn with pictures showing
Chinese cultural elements. The symbols of the Forbidden City are
ubiquitous.
Li said: "We attempted to turn the shop into something of a
showcase. After an experimental period and redecoration to give it
a new style, we'll apply the same idea to other shops in the
Forbidden City.
"In future all shops operating in the Forbidden City will have a
uniform style," Li added.
In July, Starbucks, which opened the first Western-style cafe in
the Forbidden City seven years ago, was expelled because many
challenged the idea of having a Western coffee shop in the
palace.
The row was first triggered by criticism from Rui Chenggang, an
anchorman from CCTV, who said that the image of the Forbidden City
should be purified through expelling outlets like Starbucks.
Rui's criticism was echoed by many. Some remarked the Starbucks
symbol conflicted with the ancient humanist context of the palace.
They even quoted some foreigners' aversion to the presence of
Starbucks to buttress their view. For example, film star Edward
Norton once used the adjective "obscene" to describe Starbucks'
presence.
However, some argued that the issue should not be politicized.
They defended the cafe's presence, saying the coffee magnate was
granted the right to operate in the Forbidden City and should not
be viewed as "culturally intrusive." They also noted Starbucks'
presence in the palace represented a blend of cultures, and thus
should be supported.
(Shanghai Daily September 22, 2007)
