What’s better than relaxing on a cushioned bed and having a massage for an hour and a half? I will argue that that after working all day at the computer as most of us do, there is nothing better than getting someone to “unbraid” all the knots and tension that seems to accumulate ever so quickly around the shoulder areas after day after day of hunching over an office desk.

Sometimes I think it’s a shame that in other countries things like pampering yourself have to be so expensive and out of reach for the average person. One of the nicest things about China, and many places in Asia overall, is the relative cheapness of treating yourself; one of life’s nice little luxuries should be that you can occasionally splurge a tad and allow yourself a massage, facial, or a day at the spa.

Photo: HarryAllverson

For most of us, in places like the US, Europe, or the UK, a massage can start at as steep as 75 USD or even more. I certainly didn’t have that much money to spend all the time, especially while I was a student. In most places abroad, getting a massage is also a very private thing because you are usually naked. Here in China, I enjoy the fact that you can go with your friends after dinner fully- clothed and get your own room for just the four of you. You can all pay a reasonable amount of money and go have someone soak and rub your feet, get all the knots out of your back, and massage all the pressure points on your face and head. You can discuss your day while drinking tea and eating oranges and wind down. Some places even have a bag full of little pebbles which they heat to a certain temperature; at the end, they rub the hot pebbles on your back. There is nothing that will put you at ease, and to sleep, faster in the wintertime!

Photo: Dan Zen

Yes, the light flute music in the background is soothing and for once it’s nice to just lie there and not think about anything except relaxing. Some places have little fountains with trickling water to soothe your thoughts and wash away the troubles of the day. But in my mind, the best thing about China is that starting at around 50 RMB, depending on the size of the city, etc., you can go and relieve your stress for around an hour or a bit more.

The massage experience can be social with friends and nice to enjoy with other people, but there are some times when you would prefer not to talk to anyone. In this case, I advise against telling the masseuse that you speak any Chinese as this could lead to in depth conversations about topics like China’s GDP that you might prefer to not have. In addition, if your Chinese happens to be better than your friend’s, let him or her know in advance you will not be translating or you will end up face down on a massage bed with your face smashed into the donut sized opening, mouth creased into unlikely shapes as you look at the floor, all the while asking things like: She wants to know if you like Chinese food?

There is no sense in not taking advantage of such an opportunity; I love that China has full range of massages and spas ranging from the market foot massage variety, on up to the full mud and leaf wraps with hot stones thrown into the mix. If a spa isn’t really your thing you can always go to the small blind massage centers or even to some parks where for around 20 RMB you can pay to sit on a little stool in the park and get your neck rubbed.

Photo: lapin.lapin

Whether you want to spend 30 RMB or three thousand is up to you to decide. Aside from the obvious health benefits that come with stress relief, massages in China are reasonably priced so everyone can do it; there is really no excuse not to go. If only everything in life were so simple!

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