Today's Article

The company is owned by China's richest man, but his wealth has been 2shrinking fast in recent weeks, thanks to an unexpected 3backlash. 

Zhong Shanshan is facing online attacks, 4accused of being not 5patriotic enough, in part because of the designs of some of his product packaging. 

On the bottles you can see a temple, you can see a 6crane. Some Chinese people feel these images are 7inspired by Japanese culture. 

Now that's 8upsetting to some people because of long-standing 9animosity between the two countries. 

Some Chinese people even 10claim the red bottle cap 11resembles the shape of the Japanese national flag. CNN has reached out to Nongfu Spring for comment. 

A perfect storm that has 12triggered a nationwide 13boycott, with people uploading videos of themselves pulling Nongfu Spring's water off store shelves, all in the name of patriotism. 

All of this is proving to be a heavy 14blow to business. The online campaign has cut into Nongfu's sales as well as its share price. 

Wiping about $3 billion off its market 15capitalization since the end of February, according to a CNN calculation. 

But views on the streets are much calmer. 

"We should have a fair and just attitude. We shouldn't be 16intensifying conflicts that serves no good for our own government either." 

"Maybe it is inspired by Japanese architecture, but it could also be inspired by traditional Chinese architecture. If you look back in history, didn't Japan learn from China, too? I think it's wrong to be connecting product design to politics." 

As Beijing tries to rally behind the private sector in the midst of an economic slump, many worry this war on bottled water could see the business community's confidence 17dry up even further.