The interior of the women’s bathing hall was a world of its own.
Facing the entrance, a plain screen partitioned off a front area. Along the wall, long cypress-wood counters were set up, where two attendants in crisp, cyan shirts were busy at work. They took the bamboo tallies and clothing bundles handed over by guests, expertly registering and storing them.
He Mingyu and her companions followed the example of others, bundling their clean clothes and the outer garments they had removed, and handed them over along with their two bamboo tallies. The attendant verified the tallies, took a wooden counter-check to tie onto their bundle, and handed back the remaining half of the bamboo tally, saying enthusiastically: “Take good care of these tokens, guests. You will need them to retrieve your items when you leave. The bathing pool is inside; please cleanse your bodies in the outer area before entering the pool for a soak.“
The three received the tallies and, following her directions, pulled back a heavy cotton curtain. Warm, humid steam rushed out to greet them.
He Mingyu looked up and saw a bathing pool in the center constructed of blue stone, approximately six meters wide. The water was clear to the bottom, with steam swirling like clouds. The floor around the pool, which was slightly lower, was paved with polished blue stone slabs. A few stone stools and wooden basins were set out. Two or three women were sitting there, wiping their bodies with clear water from the basins.
“This pool… it’s truly grand,” Wu Chunlan sighed softly, her hands instinctively clenching. Yingzi, however, had already poked her head out, her dark, liquid eyes full of wonder: “Sister, is the water alive? Why does it keep emitting heat?“
“There must be a fire channel running underneath that keeps it burning,” He Mingyu explained with a smile, taking her hand. “Come, let’s wash ourselves first.“
The three found an empty spot and, copying the others, carefully wiped themselves down with water from wooden basins. He Mingyu had quite a bit of mud on her legs, and though the initial splash of water was a shock, it felt indescribably refreshing afterward. Wu Chunlan skillfully wrung out a cloth and helped Yingzi wipe her shoulders and back.
After washing, they stepped into the bathing pool. The warm water surged in from all directions, instantly enveloping them. At first, Wu Chunlan only dared to sit on the stone steps at the edge of the pool. It was not until the warmth penetrated her aching joints that she tentatively sank her body deeper, letting out a very faint, almost satisfied sigh. Yingzi moved like a nimble little fish, swimming back and forth between her and He Mingyu, scooping up a handful of water, and giggling.
He Mingyu closed her eyes, soaking in the warm water. Only then did she notice that the water had a faint, fresh scent of bamboo leaves—presumably, the bathhouse had added herbs or other ingredients. It was both calming and relaxing, with a touch more elegance than cheaper bathhouses.
She loved doing business, but even if she loved it, the fatigue and exhaustion caused by running a stall could not be ignored. All the soreness in her body melted away, inch by inch, in the warmth.
She was like this, and so were the others. She could hear Wu Chunlan’s suppressed, comfortable sighs even over the noise of the bustling bathhouse, and hear Yingzi’s light splashing as she played in the water. At this moment, they were just three ordinary women stealing a moment of leisure in the hot water.
After soaking for about forty minutes, feeling completely relaxed and limber, He Mingyu remembered the back-scrubbing and discussed it with them. When Wu Chunlan heard it would cost extra, she shook her head like a rattle: “Soaking is already a life for the gods; why waste that money?“
Knowing her mother’s nature, He Mingyu did not press her. She stood up and walked toward a small side room partitioned off by a screen at the side of the pool. A wooden sign hung on the curtain with the words “Back-Scrubbing” carved into it. She lifted the curtain and entered. A woman in her forties, wearing a clean, plain-colored undergarment, greeted her with a friendly smile: “Young lady, would you like a back-scrub? Please lie down on this couch.“
This woman was one of the bathhouse’s professional scrubbers. Scrubbing backs for pay was a common choice for many lower-class city dwellers who lacked fields or land.
The wooden couch was covered with a plain, coarse cloth that also carried a faint scent of bamboo. He Mingyu lay down as instructed. The woman first tested the water temperature, took a square of ramie cloth, soaked it thoroughly in hot water, wrapped it around her palms, and scooped a dollop of cream-like substance from a ceramic jar.
“What is this?” she asked, turning her head to watch the woman’s movements.
The woman smiled: “This is our bathhouse’s special fragrant soap. Besides locust bean, it contains mugwort, bamboo leaves, and other things. I guarantee you will smell fresh for ten days after using it once.“
He Mingyu understood. Leaning closer, she could indeed smell a faint hint of mugwort.
Seeing that she had closed her eyes, the woman tightened the ramie cloth and began to rub with even pressure, starting from her shoulders and neck: “Your shoulders and neck are very stiff; you must be very tired in your daily life.“
Her technique was masterful. At first, there was a slight stinging sensation, but as that pressure penetrated into her tense muscles, a strange sense of relief emerged from the soreness. The woman chatted while pushing and massaging: “Your skin is fine and delicate, not like someone who does rough work often, yet your muscles are so tightly knotted… is it because you stand for long periods every day?“
“I do a bit of small business; I’m at the stall every day,” He Mingyu replied vaguely.
“No wonder.” The woman’s hands didn’t stop. From her shoulder blades to her waist, every sore knot was massaged away with just the right amount of force. Especially at the junction of her waist and back, where the lingering ache from long hours of standing was inevitable—now, after the woman’s massage, she felt a current of warmth flow through her, making her feel so comfortable she grew drowsy.
After about ten minutes, the scrubbing was finished, and the woman rinsed away the grease and filth with warm water.
When He Mingyu sat up, she felt as if her skin were smooth as satin and her whole body was light, as if she had shed ten pounds of weight. She thanked the woman and learned that the back-scrub cost eight cash—not exactly cheap, but the relaxation was well worth it.
Back by the pool, Yingzi immediately crowded over: “Sister, does it feel good?“
“Extremely good,” He Mingyu described without restraint. “It feels like all the exhaustion between my bones has been scrubbed out. My back feels all warm and toasty; I feel like I could fly when I walk! Smell me, is sister fragrant? I used the bamboo-scented and mugwort soap!“
“Wow—” Yingzi was tempted, like a newborn puppy, sniffing and smelling her shoulder over and over, “Sister is so fragrant—so fragrant—”
Seeing that Wu Chunlan was still hesitant, He Mingyu added more persuasion: “Mother, let that auntie give you a massage. It will surely relieve the pain in your waist. Besides, since the money is already spent today, why not enjoy it fully? You’ve worked hard for half your life; you deserve to enjoy it. It’s really not expensive.“
Wu Chunlan looked at her rosy face and caught sight of Yingzi’s expectant eyes, and finally sighed: “Fine, fine, let it be… follow your lead…“
Once the two of them entered the small room, estimating it would take them some time, He Mingyu quickly rinsed clean, wrapped herself in a coarse cloth towel provided by the bathhouse, and returned to the front counter. She retrieved her bundle with half of her bamboo tally and went to a designated room to change into clean undergarments. When she entered, there were already several women who had finished washing up, sitting on a long bench, slowly wringing out their wet hair with their own towels while talking and laughing in low voices.
He Mingyu found a corner and sat down, wrapping her wet hair in a cloth and gently rubbing it. Before long, her arms grew tired, and at this moment, she missed a hairdryer more than anything else in the world.
Sigh… Without a hairdryer, hair takes forever to dry.
A chat from a woman sitting nearby drifted to her ears: “…It’s the Buddha Bathing Festival in a few days. Is Lady Zhang going to Da Xiangguo Temple to pay respects?“
“Of course I’m going! Master Huiming is lecturing on the Diamond Sutra this year; how can I miss it? My husband said we have to go before dawn to grab a spot.“
“Exactly! If you go late, let alone hearing the sutra, I’m afraid you won’t even be able to squeeze through the mountain gate!“
Buddha Bathing Festival? He Mingyu paused in her actions, pricking up her ears. She didn’t know much about the festivals of the Northern Song Dynasty and didn’t know what this “Buddha Bathing Festival” was that they were talking about.
The women became more animated as they talked, ranging from the temple’s bathing rituals to the street vendors, from the grandeur of the sutra lecture to the alms-giving of vegetarian food… Her heart stirred. She turned to look at the woman who had spoken first—a plump woman—and put on just the right expression of curiosity:
“Excuse me, auntie. I heard you mention the Buddha Bathing Festival just now. I have just arrived in Bianjing and don’t know what kind of scene this is?“
The plump woman turned her face and sized He Mingyu up. Seeing that although she was young, her eyes were calm and steady, she smiled: “Since the young lady is from out of town, no wonder you don’t know. The Buddha Bathing Festival is on the eighth day of the fourth month, the Buddha’s birthday. It is the most lively event in Bianjing! Da Xiangguo Temple is the best of all. On that day, believers gather, the incense is prosperous, and there are people everywhere, both inside and outside the temple!“
“I see. I will certainly have to go see it then.” He Mingyu followed up, “Besides listening to the sutras and worshipping Buddha, are there any other festivities? If I go early, where can I find breakfast?“
Seeing that she asked so specifically, the plump woman became even more eager to talk: “Festivities? There are plenty! The streets in front of the temple are lined with food stalls before dawn. Noodle soup, congee, drinks… everything you could want! There are also people selling incense, candles, flowers, and fruits, performing variety shows, and selling children’s toys—it’s like the New Year! As for breakfast—” She waved her hand with a smile, “Don’t worry, young lady, on that day you will only find too much to eat; there is no reason to go hungry! Even at noon, Da Xiangguo Temple will give out vegetarian noodles and buns as alms, which also counts as accumulating blessings.“
“There will also be idle men hanging around nearby; just tell them what you want to eat and they can bring it over from the shops in fifteen minutes,” someone else added.
Crowds of people like weaving, vendors gathered… A light shone in He Mingyu’s eyes. This was a perfect business opportunity. She calculated rapidly in her heart while still humbly asking for advice: “Thank you for the guidance, auntie. If I want to grab a good spot, when should I go?“
“You have to be early!” a thin-faced woman nearby interjected, “Last year my neighbor’s sister-in-law sold steamed cakes; she went to grab a spot at five in the morning and only managed to get a corner spot. If you really want to hear Master Huiming recite sutras, I’m afraid you have to be there by seven.“
Just as they were speaking, Wu Chunlan and Yingzi had also finished washing up and walked in with their bundles. Both had rosy glows on their faces. Especially Wu Chunlan, whose habitual frown between her brows had smoothed out, and even her steps were lighter. He Mingyu stood up to thank the women, stepped forward to take the wet towel from Wu Chunlan’s hand, and while helping her wring the water from her hair tips, she whispered about the Buddha Bathing Festival.
Wu Chunlan was stunned: “If you hadn’t said anything, I would have forgotten that the eighth day of the fourth month is the Buddha Bathing Festival… doesn’t that mean there are only seven or eight days left?“
Yingzi, however, excitedly leaned into her ear: “Sister, are we going to set up a stall too? To sell buns?”
“Naturally,” He Mingyu’s eyes were like water, her movements gentle, “For such a big day, we must have some new, seasonal ideas.”