While vising China, scientists from the Oregon Research Institute first became aware of the Chinese tradition of cobblestone walking. They are not alone. Visitors to parks in Singapore and Taiwan have noticed too and report their observations on the Web. Promoters of spas, hotels and condominiums in Asia extoll the inclusion of the "Reflexology Path" as an amenity for their properties.
An American visiting China comments: "With Ann and Olivia out touring a temple this morning, I walked with Sophia to a neighborhood playground a few blocks from the hotel. The whole thing stretches for about a block and is flanked on either end by some serious badminton courts.
"In addition to the kind of playground equipment you'd find in Scandia or anywhere else in the U.S., they also had these "exercise toys" for the adults. It's hard to explain and since Ann had the digital camera, I might have to go back and get some shots of elderly Chinese stretching out and using these things while their grandchildren play on a teeter totter next to them.
"The whole block is also paralleled by a Chinese reflexology walking path. Essentially thousands and thousands of smooth stones laid out in patterns on the ground that you walk on and it somehow is healing. (This is clearly Ann Territory and I can't truly do this justice.)"
Commentary about a reflexology Path in the Singapore's Botanic Garden "But that's not all you'll find... winding through the bamboo grove is a reflexology foot path designed to massage specific areas of your bare feet as you walk along!"
http://www.geocities.com/thetropics/7766/nature.html#botanic%20garden
Photograph of a Reflexology Path in an unknown Singapore park http://www.thingsasian.com/goto_article/article_images.1632.5.html
Photograph of a Reflexology Path by a beach East Coast Beach, Singapore http://www.betelbox.com/gallery/pic.asp?iCat=33&iPic=112
Commentary about the Reflexology Path in a Singapore park
Connoisseur At Large: Strange Fruit by Jack Smith August 2000 "Modernized and sanitized, Singapore is still exotic. This was no walk through the park, thought the Connoisseur, as he walked through the park. More precisely, he was hopping painfully along astone reflexology path set amid orchids and palm trees, the sharp, pointy rocks digging into his bare feet as he went. "Stay on the path," said an elderly Chinese gent who was strolling the same spiky walkway as nonchalantly as if window-shopping down Fifth Avenue. Everywhere there were men and women slowly gyrating through their morning tai chi. "Ignore the pain. The stones drive the toxins out of your system." "The Connoisseur, mindful of the toxins he'd ingested the night before, was doing his best, but every step was torture. That night, his body was still tingling from the experience. "'You know,' he said as he joined his hosts at the Cricket Club for dinner, 'I think that reflexology path actually works.' "'Of course it works,'" said Chris Phua, the club's general manager. "'This is Singapore.'" "His dinner partners chuckled, for if the reflexology path in the Botanic Gardens was ineffective, if it had not been proven to improve the circulation and contribute to the common good, it would have been ripped out long ago to make room for more orchids. As the members of the Singapore Cricket Club are wont to observe, their city-state hadn't evolved from an equatorial British colony to the most competitive economy in the world-with a per capita GNP equal to that of Switzerland and one of the world's highest standards of living-by doing things that didn't work."
Commentary about the Reflexology Path at a Resort / Golf Club
The Web page of the National Service Resort & Country Club describes the Reflexology Path: "Reflexology is an ancient healing art that has been known to man for thousands of years and first practiced by the early Indians, Chinese and Egyptians. It is based on the principle that there are specific reflex areas on the hands and feet that are linked to organs and other parts of the body within the same zone. "Now, you too can enjoy the natural healing art of reflexology by visiting our Resort's foot reflexology path, located outside the Resort's Bungalow office, next to the children's playground."
Photograph of a Reflexology Path in Bkt Mertajam Recreational Forest, Penang, Malaysia The recreational forest includes a Reflexology Path as an amenity in addition to a swimming pool, chalets to rent and hiking paths.
Photograph of a Reflexology Path in Perdana Emerald Condominium Many condominium complexes in Malaysia and Singapore advertise a Reflexology Path in addition to other amenities. Amenities at the include: "Putting green for golf enthusiasts, A netted mini driving range, Reflexology path to loosen up the senses, BBQ pits for the family, Stress relief - work out at the gym"
"The Bau Town's Rock Garden is located around the 'natural rock formations' opposite the Bau Civic Centre. It is incorporate with sculptures of animals like flamingoes, birds and turtle as well as a mini artificial waterfall (and Reflexology Path).Photograph of a Reflexology Path in the park of a planned development, Kuala Lumpur. (http://www.myioi.com/images/properties/progress/puteri/townpark/28.gif)View of pergola, reflexology path and Royal Palm at Island Park, Bandar Puchong Jaya - a 1000 acre development, a mixture of 12,000 units of residential, commercial and industrial components
Commentary, Reflexology Path at the Pangkor Laut Resort, Perak "Do-it-yourself reflexology paths are the new twist as spas like Pangkor Laut Resort, where spagoers are invited to walk on embedded river stones that stimulate pressure points on the soles of the feet." (http://www.spamagazine.com/articles/57042003.asp?bar=beauty) The resort is a "A privately owned island located three miles off the West Coast of Malaysia in the Straits of Malacca. Your treatment at the Spa Village will begin with the unique Bath House Ritual, representing various bathing traditions from around Asia. This starts with a foot bath and an invigorating Chinese Foot Pounding, previously only enjoyed by the concubines of feudal China."
Commentary, Reflexology Path at a Park in Taipei "The gardens are bordered by a cooler, cloistered walk and I was intrigued by a large, permanent sign showing a Reflexology Foot Chart - all in Chinese of course. Then I saw people taking their shoes off and walking along a cobbled path beside the cloister - a Do It Yourself Reflexology path! The curved stone cobbles were designed to hit all the right spots in your foot! I wasn't brave enough to try. It looked quite painful and children were being encouraged to practice it with their shoes on."
Commentary, "Healthy Stroll Path" at a Shiseido factory http://www2.gol.com/users/kilburn/BU199212.htm The "Healthy Stroll Path" at a Shiseido factory is described by writer David Kilburn in an article orignally published in Wingspan , the inflight magazine of All Nippon Airways (ANA), December 1992.
"Neighbours catching up with each other, enjoying some healthy moments on the foot reflexology path. It's nice to have neighbours who get together once in a while, in the simplicity of living together, ain't it? Especially in today's fast-paced, vicious world where all too often, profit and career successes dissolve human relationships."
Pennsylvania Spa, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa, Near Uniontown, PA "At Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa, the water path combines reflexology with water therapy using unique, ankle-deep troughs paved with river rocks and filled with hot and cold water an energizing combination that boosts circulation and detoxifies lymphatic systems." (http:// www.spamagazine.com/articles/57042003.asp?bar=beaut) (Eds.note:The water therapy plus reflexology is very similar to Kneippen pools found in Germany.).
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