Chapter 55 Bathhouse Culture
People in the old capital pay special attention to "soaking" in bathhouses, and most people stay there for half a day.
There are also some people, like Su Yingjun and Su Mu, who bring their own tea and meals. When they come here, they wash up, go to bed, wash again when they wake up, and eat after washing. They can stay all day long.
In fact, there are many recreational activities in the old bathhouses in the capital, and it is not boring.
In addition to bathing, there are also scrubs, backbeats, massages (same-sex), cupping, pedicures, foot massages, haircuts, shaving, etc.
In addition, the bathhouse also washes and irons clothes, sells candied haws, popsicles, sodas, lends chess, etc., and even buys simple meals (fried cakes, braised cakes, sesame cakes, roasted cakes, etc.)...
The service is absolutely comprehensive and thoughtful.
The style and service are no worse than those of bathing centers a few decades later.
Even more than that.
At least you don't have to tip.
The procedure for people in Beijing to take a bath is to soak first, then rub, then soap and finally rinse.
Su Yingjun took Su Mu to the hot water area for a "hot bath." In Su Yingjun's eyes, hot water can activate blood circulation, remove blood stasis, and get rid of a week's fatigue.
When the two of them climbed out, they were all red and looked like two cooked prawns.
Su Yingjun is still in charge of the bathing master.
Su Mu was obviously not used to this kind of enjoyment.
In fact, it was caused by the strangeness of Sumu's soul.
But in Su Yingjun's opinion, it was a bit pitiful that my younger brother, as a true Beijinger, had never enjoyed the entertainment of bathhouses.
It also once again increased his dislike for Su Chuanjun and his family.
Su Yingjun helped them choose a northern bath master.
In fact, Su Mu quite likes the southern master.
I had a chat with my eldest brother Su Yingjun while taking a bath just now.
The Nanpai is dominated by masters from Yangzhou. The technique of scrubbing is delicate, with light hands and even force. The most comfortable thing is to massage the head of the guests after scrubbing.
Su Mu was very proud of massaging her head.
As for the northern style bath masters, most of them come from Dingxing, Yixian and Laishui counties in Hebei Province, and their techniques are more crude.
What they pay attention to is stability and ruthlessness.
The hands are strong, one after another, from top to bottom, no more, no less, a total of 108 times.
The effect after rubbing must be that the whole body is red, which shows that the master has worked hard.
After rubbing, at the end, I have to slap her all over my body from my back to my calves.
Only then can we live together.
Su Yingjun was obviously more proud of this.
Su Mu reluctantly accompanied him and enjoyed the trip.
Well, I really enjoyed it.
Especially the beating rhythm at the end made Su Mu's muscles almost spontaneously jump with joy.
After the skin is soaked in hot water, the mud and floating skin on the body can be easily removed during the scrubbing. No matter how dirty the body is, as long as you go through this procedure, you will feel like a different person.
After Su Yingjun and Su Mu cleaned up, they walked back to the rest area wearing bath towels.
When we came to the rest area, the scene inside was quite spectacular.
Because there were few people when we arrived, the two Su brothers took a long bath, rubbed themselves in the shower, and queued up to rinse...
When they returned to the rest area again, it seemed to be an overcrowded scene.
Throughout the hall, rows of bedside tables and beds with partitions were orderly distributed in the center and around the house, neatly arranged head to head, with almost no empty space at a glance.
Fortunately, Su Yingjun and Su Mu occupied the land early.
A waiter standing nearby came up to them and after asking for their seat numbers, he shouted loudly, "Guests No. 26 and 27, look inside and please..."
Someone came over to guide them through the crowd in the Mu looked around and saw people wearing towels chatting, playing chess, playing poker, and fighting crickets. There was also a person wearing reading glasses and reading a newspaper.
What is not lacking in the bathhouse is eloquent talk, talking about national and international affairs, ranging from negotiations with European and American powers to the little widow next door who is actually a half-closed door...
In addition to talking about things, there are also people drinking, drinking tea, getting haircuts, shaving, cupping, scraping, pedicures and so on.
Su Mu also saw an old man lying on a wooden bed, snoring beautifully.
Bathhouse culture is a kind of custom culture in Beijing. It is like a small society where three religions and nine schools gather together.
Young and old men gather here to talk about everything, the past and the present.
Rather than coming here to take a bath and take care of personal hygiene, it is better to say that it is a place for enjoyment and recreation.
It has only been half a year since Su Mu came to this world, but he has never felt such a strong atmosphere of fireworks outside, taking root in the market.
Su Yingjun returned to his seat and met several colleagues without resting for a while.
Among them was Gao Xiang, who had gone to 'investigate' Sumu's broken nest.
This group of people didn't seem to have made an appointment in advance, but they unexpectedly brought about a lot of things.
Then Su Mu followed them.
Change positions.
There is no distinction between high and low in the bathhouse among the people in the capital, and they all see each other sincerely.
Without the obstruction of the fig leaf, the refreshing and eager energy in the bones of the people in the capital was released.
No one found it troublesome, and everyone I asked was very easy to talk to.
Anyway, that’s how Su Mu watched.
As for whether they saw a few big and strong men surrounding them and strategically avoided provoking them, Su Mu wasn't sure.
Anyway, I didn’t notice this emotion.
Finally, several people moved their seats together.
Everyone started to pack things outside.
There were several plates of peanuts, some fried or boiled, and a small pot of soaked broad beans. In addition to the meals Su Yingjun brought, there were also dishes to go with the wine, including two salted eggs, which were very oily. They were cut open with a knife. There is an appetite.
"Wood, let's drink some together."
Su Mu also followed suit.
Drinking in the bathhouse is generally done in a "gentle way", politely and leisurely. A plate of peanuts and soaked broad beans can be eaten from "blooming" to "broken garden". No one drinks seriously and no one eats seriously.
Su Mu felt that she might be able to withstand this kind of situation where there was no drinking.
If he really wanted to drink like he did at home in the army compound, Su Mu would rather say that he didn't know how to drink.
So, four or five old men, each with a big towel wrapped around their waist, stood face to face, chest to chest, piled high with peanuts, pickled broad beans, salted eggs, pickled cucumber strips and other side dishes, and a bottle of wine. Drinking...
Talk to God, relieve boredom, relax your mind, and refresh your mind.
There were people watching from a distance and swallowing their saliva.
Others saw someone drinking a little wine and then started singing at the top of their lungs.
A period of Peking Opera is actually quite charming.
Gao Xiang was a hospitable host, and even called the old man over for a drink.
It is also a routine operation for this kind of stranger to change from a glass of wine to a bathing partner.
Su Mu drank two glasses in total, which amounted to less than half a catty of wine, and he felt a little dizzy.
During this period, I wandered around and took a dip in the heated pool for a while, saying it was a hangover cure.
Su Mu is not sure which one is more scientific or the saying that "not taking a shower after drinking can effectively prevent myocardial infarction".
Anyway, he didn't pay much attention to it, so the old man went to have a dip and took Su Mu, the youngest, with him.
It wasn't until the lanterns came on that the party ended happily.
(End of this chapter)