A restaurant themed on the Cultural Revolution has opened on a narrow street in Guangzhou's military district, but its owners are worried coverage in a local newspaper yesterday could invite unwanted attention from the authorities.
At the Da Guo Fan Restaurant, waiting staff outfitted like Red Guards greet customers with 'Tong zhi [comrade] ni hao'. Customers are shown into rooms with red and yellow decor, the walls lined with photos and posters of Mao Zedong , Lin Biao , Liu Shaoqi and Deng Xiaoping - key figures of the turbulent period between 1966 and 1976.
There is a statue of Mao, group photos of Red Guards and slogans exhorting intellectual youths to go to the countryside and be courageous, but no sign of the excesses of the Cultural Revolution which might upset the authorities. Red Guards are seen studying and celebrating the Lunar New Year, not leading struggle sessions against enemies of the revolution.
'It's very sensitive now because of the new law that bans businesses from using pictures and statues of leaders. Besides, we are still applying for our licence,' said a restaurant staff member, who identified himself only as Zhang.
'After this we might also have the cultural department supervising us,' he said. 'Nobody has bothered us in the past two months and normally the commerce bureau will not give us any problem, but now that it's in the news, higher-up authorities might require them to do something.'
One of the owners, Wen Xuedong , a Guangzhou native, declined a request for an interview. Mr Zhang said Mr Wen had moved the restaurant from Zengcheng to downtown Guangzhou because 'farmers there could not afford to dine at the restaurant and did not appreciate history'.
