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A hands-on job rubs right for massage guru
By Qi Zhai (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-03-17 07:56
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Foot massage joints are as ubiquitous as haircut places in the city. Bai Yingchun, a 27-year-old native of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, has spent five years in Beijing coaxing people into a healthy state of relaxation through their feet.
METRO: We've all seen the large diagrams in massage parlors showing which part of the foot corresponds to which bodily organ. Can you really tell what's wrong with someone by touching their feet? Would you do a voodoo doll move by getting hold of a foot?
A: If you place two feet together their combined reflexes, or pressure points, represent all the organs in the human body. There are different types of foot massage, for example, ruo shi and tai ji. Take the spot between your left pinkie and fourth toe - that corresponds to the heart. I'm not a doctor and I can't diagnose your illnesses, but from pressing your feet and finding where you feel jabbing pains I can tell you which organs are in trouble. But don't worry, I can't just push your left foot and cause you heart pains!
METRO: How many feet have you come across over your career?
A: Thousands. On average I massage four pairs of feet a day. That makes 120 pairs per month. I have worked about seven years in this industry, so about I've massaged more than 10,000 feet!
METRO: Wow, that's a lot of feet. You must have seen some pretty memorable ones, and some not so nice ones. Can you tell when customers walk in whether they will have a pleasant pair?
A: Yes, definitely. The ones that are hardest to do are usually the large customers. If I see a tall and broad man, I know that his feet are probably meaty and tough to massage. But the very skinny ones are also difficult. Sometimes they are so bony that the customer feels pain even with a light touch.
The worst kind of foot is an unsanitary or ugly one. If people don't take care of themselves they will reveal smelly and cracked feet. It makes me want to put on a face mask.
The nicest ones aren't about the feet, it's about the customer who likes to converse and ask about the science behind foot reflexology. Then it is a relaxing time for me as well to work on their feet while telling them about my job.
METRO: Do many foreigners come in for foot massages?
A: Most of our foot massage customers are Chinese. The foreigners usually ask for a full body massage. I think they find it strange, having their feet washed and rubbed.
METRO: People come to you to relax. Where do you go to relax?
A: Sometimes I go to get foot massages too, but at places with good value. I look for technique but compromise on the overall environment. I can't help but analyze what the masseur is doing. Honestly, the most relaxing thing for me is just to sleep. We develop a lot of wrist and back pain because our long work hours.
