Hair salon and red light district髮廊的霓虹

Captivating Tales from Hair Salons and Landmarks of Reform and Opening Up

Hair trimming is a "top event" in life, related to the image of the individual, and the place where hair is trimmed is generally a hair salon, what historical events have happened from ancient times to the Middle Ages to modern times? It's boring to talk about history, let me talk about some of these interesting facts and the "hair salon", an important landmark place of Shenzhen's reform and opening up.

Start by telling a story from the Soviet era as an appetizer.

Once upon a time in the Soviet era, there was a man who walked into a barber shop. He wanted to get his hair trimmed. He sat down in the barber's chair and told the barber that he wanted it cut short.

The barber started working, but his scissors seemed as dull as if they were made from iron ore. He struggled to go through the man's hair, but all he managed to do was leave a few scattered strands.

The man was puzzled and asked, "These scissors seem quite blunt. Can you please switch to another pair?"

The barber replied,"I'm sorry, but these are the best scissors made in our country. They may look a bit dull, but they are incredibly sturdy!"

The man nodded reluctantly and allowed the barber to continue. The barber persisted, using those blunt scissors, but the results were far from satisfactory. The man's hair still looked like a mess.

Finally, the man had to say,"I'm sorry, but I have to say, this is the worst haircut I have ever had!"

The barber chuckled and replied,"Don't worry, comrade! Our country values resource conservation, including scissors. You see, not cutting it too short is just a temporary measure, so you won't need another haircut as soon!"

Now let's move on to an amusing anecdote about a significant landmark in Shenzhen during the period of reform and opening up.

Once upon a time, there was a foreign tourist who visited Shenzhen and got curious about the local hair salon culture. He decided to explore the red-light district and walked into what seemed like an ordinary hair salon, asking for a hair wash and massage service.

As he lay back in the massage chair, enjoying the massage, he noticed a TV screen hanging on the wall behind the mirror. To his surprise, it was playing an adult movie! He felt a bit awkward about his choice but didn't want to show it, so he pretended not to care.

During the massage, he engaged in a conversation with the masseuse. Curious, he asked her about the situation. The masseuse chuckled and explained that it was a unique local culture. Some hair salons played adult movies in the background to attract customers.

When he sat in the barber chair, the hairstylist started working on his hair. However, the foreign tourist noticed that the hairstylist's technique was rather peculiar. He felt the hairstylist's hands gently stroking his scalp while using the scissors to trim his hair.

Confused and feeling a little awkward, he began to wonder if this was a special service in the red-light district. Determined to find out, he firmly asked the hairstylist, "Is this a massage or a haircut?"

Upon hearing the question, the hairstylist couldn't help but laugh. She explained, "Sir, it's just a customary technique we use while cutting hair. We call it a 'scalp massage.' It promotes blood circulation and relaxes the scalp. It's a characteristic service of our salon and has nothing to do with any red-light district activities."

The foreign tourist breathed a sigh of relief and couldn’t help but laugh at his own misunderstanding.

After his haircut, he was led to a small room with a massage bed and a young and beautiful masseuse. She began providing the massage service, but the man noticed that her touch was incredibly gentle, almost without any pressure.

Perplexed, he thought that maybe this salon's massage skills weren't that great. He decided to express his confusion and asked the masseuse, "Your massage is so gentle, I can barely feel any pressure. Does it really work like this?"

The masseuse burst into laughter and explained, "Sir, our masseuses are highly skilled, and our massage technique focuses on being gentle and comfortable to provide relaxation and stress relief. If you need a stronger massage, we can adjust according to your preferences."

Feeling a bit embarrassed, the man didn't expect the massage style of this salon to be so unique. He decided to give it a chance and continued to enjoy the gentle massage.

In the end, as the foreign man dozed off, he was suddenly awakened and taken to the local police station for allegedly soliciting prostitution, resulting in a fine of 3,000 RMB.

Since the 1990s, the Shenzhen government has intensified efforts to crack down on the sex industry, closing down illegal establishments, and providing more social welfare and job opportunities to help those involved in the industry transition to other livelihoods.

It's important to emphasize that Shenzhen's image and development have undergone significant changes, and the past red-light district phenomenon should not be equated with present-day Shenzhen. Today, Shenzhen is a modern, innovative, and international city known for its high-tech industries, entrepreneurial spirit, and modern urban facilities.