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)