Just when you thought it couldn't get any drier in Beijing, Wu Wencong discovers a stone spa with a definite edge

As the city reels from icy showers and northern winds, it is time once again to seek out a toasty escape from the cold.

It makes sense then that with Beijing's extremely dry atmosphere, the haven of choice is a luxury spa.

Korean Khan Steam, on offer from Fuyangchaohui Health Club - the flagship store of Hanzhengtianxia, a major Chinese distributor of Korean spa products - is one such getaway.

After a quick shower to help the pores open naturally, guests are led to the room.

Stepping into the 20-square-meter space, the heat hits immediately and it is about a minute before they realize there is no steam.

The unusually-named Korean Khan Steam is actually a dry sauna, using "special" stones with absolutely no water.

As a result, the thing that doesn't hit is what rumors have long suggested of saunas, that everyone will be naked.

Instead, visitors should expect to find a bright room with a few people dotted about, wearing shorts and T-shirts, watching TV, playing chess, or even taking a nap.

The walls are decorated with pieces of bamboos and traditional Chinese paintings of maidens are strewn randomly about.

Newcomers should find themselves a seat, or a bed, anywhere in the room and wait for a waitress to explain the mysteries of the sauna.

Originally from South Korea, Korean Khan Steam was traditionally achieved by lying on heated yellow mud and stones, allowing the head to fend off any chills and the body to dispel toxins, said Kong Li, general manager of Fuyangchaohui.

Today though, the whole process is cleaner and more scientific, involving a crystal silicate mineral called tourmaline.

"The floor in the room has five layers of materials; the walls have seven," Kong said.

"On the surface is tourmaline, a stone imported from South Korea, which gives off negative ion of oxygen, infrared radiation, mineral nutrients and trace elements when heated, all of which are beneficial to the body."

Room temperature is set to between 38 C and 42 C, about half that of a typical steam sauna room.

Kong said the more comfortable temperature enables guests to stay in the steam room for about 40 minutes without feeling tightness in their chest. This allows sweating as a result of improved blood circulation rather than accumulated heat from water vapor.

Waking up from a cozy nap, visitors will find themselves covered in sweat but feeling refreshed and relaxed.

"Few people my age would spend money on spas," said 65-year-old Zhao Zhenfang, who has already come five times to the spa in recent weeks.

"But it eased the pain in my knee that has bothering me for years, the result of working in the fields when I was young," she said, bending and straightening her right leg that she claimed could barely be moved one month ago.

Kong said other benefits such as whitening the skin, aiding weight loss and improving sleep have also been reported by her guests. The treatment is not suggested for pregnant women and those with heart disease though.

Guests are also advised not to take a bath for six hours after the spa, to let their poles close naturally following the excretion of toxins and dirt.

Visitors can conclude the experience with a rest in the lounge or as a witness to a tea ceremony from a beautiful tea specialist, charged differently depending on the type of tea chosen.

So for anyone seeking a unique escape from the weather at a reasonable price, Korean Khan Steam at Fuyangchaohui can warm your roots and radiate your soul.

(China Daily 10/27/2010)