Tell us about growing up in China.
My parents are farmers in Hunan province. They raised chickens, cows, pigs and fish, and vegetables increased. I have two older sisters, an older brother and a younger sister.
Four sisters in a family? This is unusual in "one-child China.
I was born in 1982, the same year as the government introduced the child policy, but rural families can have two more children. It was rare for a family to have five children, including four girls, because it was difficult to feed as many children. My parents are not rich, but they loved us and they made sure we all had enough to eat.
My father worked mostly as a poultry farmer. My older sister helped him after school every day. Prices were highest in the city. So every week, my mother left with a load of chickens and eggs and hitchhike long distances to the city and back. His hard work has helped to feed the family and pay for the education of my older sisters.
My sisters and I had to feed the pigs and cows three times a day. This meant we had to cut and carry a lot of heavy fodder and straw. It was hard work for little girls. I used to fall a lot. But there was a happy time and a simple life.
Did you go to school?
school was expensive if you had five children. But my father evaluated the importance of education, because when he was only eight years old, he had to leave school and go to work, even if he was smart. It was determined that her children would have more education. When my second sister was 13, she left school and went to work. His salary was small because it was a child. By the time she was 16, she worked three different jobs per day. All wages paid for me and my younger sister to go to school. The family worked hard and made many sacrifices so that we can have opportunities. That's how life was back then. Family unity and resilience are very important in China.
How long have you been in Jakarta and what are you doing here?
I've been here three years. I used to run a beauty clinic here. Today I manage the massage parlor of my older sister. It is at the back of Mediterania apartments on Jalan Gajah Mada. You have to let me promote the business! He is called Yuan Refleksi Salon. Yuan has several meanings in Chinese, but in this case it means "fate" or "destiny."
Jakarta has a lot of massage and health fairs. Why is it popular?
We are not a typical massage parlor. Our employees have many years of experience in the massage and health of traditional Chinese treatments. Our services and hygiene are excellent. Customers keep coming back, even during floods.
what kind of treatment you offer?
Traditional Chinese massage, spa treatments, reflexology, aromatherapy, lymphatic detoxification and bulge. We do not offer miracle cures. We are not a hospital. If someone comes with a disease or severe pain, we advise them to consult a doctor or hospital and get an X-ray. What we do is provide relief from stress and fatigue, healing and relaxation. If the body is exhausted or abused, our treatments can eliminate stress and rejuvenate the body, which makes people feel better. We are witnessing the detoxification of all harmful chemicals that entered the liver or kidneys. We also provide beauty treatments. Many women come to us to make their skin young, beautiful, soft and smooth.
massage parlors in Glodok have a reputation for sex. What about this one?
Certainly not! There are no nasty business. This is forbidden. About half of our clients are women.
How much do treatments cost?
De Rp.100,000 to Rp.180,000 per hour for a massage. The higher cost for a full spa treatment with based on traditional Chinese herbal remedies and oils Rp.500,000.
What's the point of a spa?
with herbal oils, spa can help detoxify the body, improve digestion, help the recovery of new mothers, prevent gynecological diseases, improve sleep, soothe the itching disease and against the skin. Spas even improve the immune system. A person leaves a spa with a great sense of wellbeing.
Who are you customers?
Most of our customers are Chinese and Indonesians. We have Western clients and also some Arabs. We even had the occasional African. We are pleased to serve everyone. We open 13 hours and close to two hours.
The New Year's Eve, we will finish work early to about 19 hours or 20 hours. Then we have a huge banquet of delicacies. There will also be a lot of beer, wine and spirits. After we finish banquet, maybe we'll get a few cars and led to a tourist site. It is good to drive after midnight because there is no traffic. Then in the morning we can enjoy tourism. We all work hard, almost every day of the year, so it is important for staff to have a group outing and play together. It is a special holiday for us and a fun celebration, although we are sad, we can not be in China with our families. In the past, we celebrated with trips to Ancol and Bandung.
You use the word Imlek, have you
We say "xin nian kuai it." - Which means "Happy New Year" Or we say "xin nian hao", which is the same thing. "Xi Gong fa cai" means "to wish a prosperous new year." Children say "bai nian" to their elders as a New Year greeting visit.
What are some habits?
The day before the New Year, we clean the house. It is unlucky to sweep the floor the day of the New Year. It is also bad luck if you get a haircut, breaking a dish or take a shower. We try to wear new clothes, something red, for good luck. We give angpao (red envelopes of money) to children. Fathers should give angpao children the eve of New Year. Other parents give angpao the day of the New Year.
Have you Indonesians to enter the mind of Chinese New Year?
The security guards here like to collect angpao. And children as the kampung. It is polite to us to give angpao. It is not huge amounts of money, just Rp.5,000 or Rp.10,000 per envelope. When local children ask for angpao here, they say "gong xi fa cai" with their outstretched hand, which is actually unpleasant. You are supposed to say with a tight hand around each other and make a small bow, then angpao expect to receive.
what do you like most about Jakarta?
the weather is always warm. China is very cold at this time. in addition, in China, there is a lot of pressure, everyone is always busy. I like the pressure from China, but Jakarta is much more relaxed.
Meet Wenfei in person Refleksi Yuan lounge Apartemen Mediterania Jl Gajah Mada, West Jakarta. Open 1:00 p.m. to 2:00.