Ian_Lee Posted April 20, 2004 at 09:05 PM Report Posted April 20, 2004 at 09:05 PM Foot bath is very popular in southern China nowadays. But is the treatment really effective? Is it true that certain points under your foot correspond to the organs inside your body? Quote
Ian_Lee Posted April 30, 2004 at 10:29 PM Author Report Posted April 30, 2004 at 10:29 PM It seems most Chinese, lest foreigners, don't quite know what "foot bath" is. It is now very common in cities like Shenzhen. There are many foot bath parlors newly opened. When the customer enters, they will be led to a nice armchair, sit down and watch a 42-in plasma TV. Then drink and snack is served. Afterwards a "Foot-bath" master will come and dip your feet into a solution of warm diluted herbal medicine. After 15-minutes, they wipe dry your feet and start massaging. The focal point of massage is the spots under your feet. Why do they massage those spots? Because per traditional Chinese medical theory, each spot under your foot corresponds to your stomach, kidney, liver, pancrease.....etc. Interestingly the foot-bath masters say that if you feel painful in that certain spot during the massage, that means the corresponding organ may have problem. (Of course, Believe it or not is up to you.) This is quite a brand new business. And the first time I heard of it was when Chow Yun Fat revealed that he foot-massaged his Malaysian wife every night about 10 years ago! Quote
badatpool Posted May 1, 2004 at 02:50 PM Report Posted May 1, 2004 at 02:50 PM I don't want to "enjoy" the foot bath anymore though,the massage hurts,does that mean I'm healthy or not? Quote
chapka Posted May 14, 2004 at 03:36 PM Report Posted May 14, 2004 at 03:36 PM It sounds like this is actually a Western "alternative medicine" technique called "Reflexology" that seems to have spread to China. In the West the "foot bath" isn't usually used, just the massage. If you like a nice foot massage, you might enjoy it; apparently it's pretty relaxing. But it's based on "medical" theories that are just plain silly, and it certainly won't cure you of anything (unless maybe you were suffering from sore feet.) Quote
pazu Posted May 14, 2004 at 05:22 PM Report Posted May 14, 2004 at 05:22 PM But back in the Three Kingdoms Period (3th century AD) of China, Hua Tuo (華佗) wrote Zhu Xin Dao (<< 足心道>>) already. Quote
erhu Posted May 15, 2004 at 03:39 AM Report Posted May 15, 2004 at 03:39 AM so all those foot massage places are following a western tradition? surprised to hear that. Quote
chapka Posted May 15, 2004 at 04:35 PM Report Posted May 15, 2004 at 04:35 PM But back in the Three Kingdoms Period (3th century AD) of China, Hua Tuo (華佗) wrote Zhu Xin Dao (<< 足心道>>) already. That's interesting. I wonder if the Chinese term originally meant just the herbal soak, and the reflexology is a later addition, or if there is a separate tradition of therapeutic foot massage in China. Quote
pazu Posted May 15, 2004 at 05:10 PM Report Posted May 15, 2004 at 05:10 PM Massage and the concept of acupuncture and reflexology were mentioned in Huangdi Neijing (黃帝內經) and that was even earlier than Zhu Xin Dao. Quote
erhu Posted May 17, 2004 at 01:15 PM Report Posted May 17, 2004 at 01:15 PM what is the source of the labelled diagram of a foot they stick up outside footmassage places? What does the Zhuxindao talk about? I find the soak is relaxing but the massage itself is a bit of a challenge. It gives a nice buzz (once they stop!) Quote
pazu Posted May 17, 2004 at 02:36 PM Report Posted May 17, 2004 at 02:36 PM Haha, good question (about the reflexory diagram), I wanted to find out the source too... I done that massage to my grandpa (85-year-old), I really knew nothing about it but I bought a book, and that book said I just had to do the massage following the direction of foot toes to ankle, and from the inner side to the outer side of the foot, then it would be okay for most cases... I don't know, my grandpa is healthy indeed, but he said after my massaging he felt he could walk more every morning. He said he could walk about 5 km in the morning exercise. Maybe it helps a bit... Quote
TSkillet Posted May 17, 2004 at 06:24 PM Report Posted May 17, 2004 at 06:24 PM I can't think of 5 minutes more painful that I've been through than a Chinese foot massage. We usually go to a place in Macau Quote
pazu Posted May 17, 2004 at 06:47 PM Report Posted May 17, 2004 at 06:47 PM But as the "theory" goes, if you feel very painful then it's the reflexory working behind it. What you have to do next, is to get more massage until you get your "poisonous gas" outside your body~ Quote
TSkillet Posted May 17, 2004 at 07:33 PM Report Posted May 17, 2004 at 07:33 PM Yeah - there's big cups of water you drink when you're done, and you're supposed to go to the bathroom. I don't know - I felt better mainly because some middle aged chinese man/woman had stopped sticking me in the foot with a large wooden stick. Quote
Ian_Lee Posted May 17, 2004 at 09:31 PM Author Report Posted May 17, 2004 at 09:31 PM Just curious. Do they welcome guests with "Hong Kong Foot" (athletic foot)? Quote
pazu Posted May 17, 2004 at 11:04 PM Report Posted May 17, 2004 at 11:04 PM Ian, of course not! Quote
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