Cheng Qulin, the housekeeper: In 1980, I entered
into the bathhouse as an apprentice. The bathhouse and was started before the liberation,
and it is still in use. It normally opens at.12:00 AM，and closes at 8:00 PM.
The older generation is much easier to recall the
past memories. So the majority of our guests are middle aged people in their
40s or 50s. Of course, you may also meet guests in their 70s or 80s, even in
their 90s. More than 10 years ago, we received an old man in his 90s. He came
here, and said that he bathed here when he was a little boy.
Guest: The bathhouse has a history of almost 100
years. It's said that Suzhou was famous for its 7 pagodas, 8 Buddhist Pillars
and 9 Bathhouses. There were 9 big bathhouses in Suzhou in history. Gradually
the number of bathhouses became bigger and bigger. But nowadays the figure has
been decreasing year after year. Now, Jianxin Bathhouse is the only one old
fashioned bathhouse here.
Cheng Qulin：It is impossible to profit a lot, so we can just make ends meet. Last
year, we bought water at a price of 5 Yuan per ton, but this year, it has
increased to 5.8 per ton. We will not raise the price. We are not living for
money after all. To be honest, we hope to keep
the pot boiling. Leading a simple life is enough for us.
There is an old saying in Suzhou goes that drink
tea in the morning and take a bath in the afternoon. In the afternoon, the bathhouse
is just like a teahouse. People gather together, drinking, chatting and bragging.
In this place, guests needn't wear clothes. They may just cover with a towel,
totally relaxed.
Cheng Qiulin: We have a pedicurist, who came into
the bathhouse together with me in 1980. We received professional training from
our masters at that time. So he is quite popular now. Most of the massagers
here have been following me for many years. In most cases, we rarely have
chances to get together to chat while taking a bath, for we have to take turns
to work and rest.
After the closing time, Cheng finally got a
chance to bath with his old friends.
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