The people's latte
It's an arduous walk through the Forbidden City in Beijing — first the Meridian Gate, then across one of the five bridges over the Golden River, then through a courtyard, then through the gate of Supreme Harmony, then a long courtyard, then up the steps to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, then another courtyard, then on to the Hall of Medium Harmony, and then a short walk to the Hall of Preserving Harmony, then — what's this? A Starbucks! Bring on the grande triple mocha latte!
But wait a minute. This is one of the most venerable and famous places ever conceived by humankind, home of emperors and their courts from 1420 to 1911, a symbol of the might and mystery of imperial China. Talk about being out of context.
The Forbidden City has survived a great deal of commercialism over the centuries. A tourist can buy souvenirs throughout the compound today.
It makes sense to provide a heated or air-conditioned refreshment stand a little over halfway through a tour. Visitors need a break to properly enjoy all the statues and buildings in the vast compound.
But not Starbucks. It hasn't been a good fit since the shop first opened in 2000. Because of complaints, it quickly had to reduce the size of its sign. And now that the historic site is being spruced up for the 2008 Summer Olympics, Rui Chenggang, a television anchorman, has launched a campaign on his blog to shut it down. "I see it as a pollution of the integrity of the Forbidden City, which is the epitome of Chinese culture," he said. Administrators of the site are considering his request.
Starbucks, meanwhile, is being coy. "We understand the recent concerns regarding a presence within the museum area," the company said in a statement. It has bought out its partner in the joint venture, so it enjoys total control of the shop.
The Chinese do not oppose American-style food shops. McDonald's and KFCs dot the big cities, and Starbucks has other locations throughout the country. Dunkin' Donuts is planning to expand to China as well. All these companies, emblematic of American culture, need to be sensitive to their host country.
The Forbidden City should feature Chinese-themed concessions. The clerk could still slip a Coke or a cup of coffee to a customer, but the barista motif has to go. As the visitor proceeds past the Hall of Preserving Harmony, through the Gate of Heavenly Purity, the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Hall of Unity, the Hall of Earthly Peace, the Imperial Garden, and out the Gate of Obedience, he or she shouldn't have a fresh American memory intrude. Globalization is best advanced with a culturally deft touch.
