Hearts 2

The heart symbol probably first entered China with Catholic missionaries, and it may have gained some popularity among urban sophisticates, especially in Shanghai and Canton, during the early decades of the 20th century. It is nevertheless surprising to see this symbol widely employed almost ten years before the "I *heart* NY" campaign was launched. The meaning of the symbol on Maozhang is somewhat different; it does not mean "I love Chairman Mao" but rather "Chairman Mao is in my heart"; and when combined with a globe it means "Chairman Mao is in the hearts of all the people of the world".