This thread discusses the Content article:
Starbucks Coffee
Re: The Starbucks review.
First, there's an excellent chance that the kid was just ignorant and doodled an offensive symbol without thinking about it.
However, considering we're in China, it's a bit more likely that he was drawing a swastika for its original (and much more widely seen in China) Buddhist/Sanskrit meaning - "all is well".
From Religionfacts.com:
"In Hinduism, the right-hand (clockwise) swastika is a symbol of the sun and the god Vishnu, while the left-hand (counterclockwise) swastika represents Kali and magic. The Buddhist swastika is almost always clockwise, while the swastika adopted by the Nazis (many of whom had occult interests) is counterclockwise."
In this photo I took in Haerbin, you can clearly see the swastika on the Buddha's chest.
And if you're German, how is a swastika racist?
Anyway, in regards to Starbucks, I've been to every Starbucks in Dalian, as my wife was, at one time, head office's secret quality inspector...
I never ate the food, but I never had a bad coffee, and the service (at all locations - but I agree, Kaifaqu was the best) was always fine.
Britton and Jim
