| There are more beauty parlours and hair salons in | | | | certificates from vocational insitutes specialising in |
| China alone than in the rest of the world | | | | beauty treatment and hair care. Walk into one |
| combined. At least, that is my impression. Well, if | | | | and you will see stacks of magazines and |
| you make allowances for a little exaggeration you | | | | catalogues from China and abroad, replete with |
| will get the picture.It's not that the Chinese have | | | | latest pictures of hair styles, beauty treatments |
| more hair but what they do, they like to flaunt. | | | | and the like.The salons bleach and clour, cut and |
| Walk down any street in any Chinese city, town | | | | shape hair into styles that sometimes look |
| or village and you will see salons cheek by jowl - | | | | captivatingly beautiful on some faces and |
| well, almost! And, there are streets where there | | | | atrociously inappropriate on some. It's not entirely |
| are more of these establishments than any other. | | | | their fault when the results are negative for there |
| Beauty parlours and hair salons serve a dual | | | | are clients who want the blonde of Scandinavia or |
| purpose. They do cut, trim, shape and colour hair | | | | the turquoise of peacocks on their hair.A hair |
| but many also front for less innocent pleasures. | | | | shampoo followed by a cut, dye, another |
| More of that later.Most Chinese have a thick head | | | | shampoo and a perm can be had for as little as a |
| of hair that neither age nor time can seemingly | | | | hundred kuai or twelve dollars fifty! And, young |
| wither. Old and young, all seem very hirsute - but | | | | men and women, in particular, are flocking into |
| only at the head level. Cast your eyes a little | | | | these establishments to add a zing to their lives |
| lower and all signs of hirsuteness begin to wane. | | | | and a thing to their hair.Beauty salons that provide |
| Thus, moustaches and beards are a rarity in | | | | services other than beatification, nonetheless, |
| China. One does see a few people, although | | | | have employees who can wield the scissors and |
| rarely, with a not-so-thick moustache but beards | | | | lessen the burden on some heads. These parlours |
| seem to grow only on artists' chins and those of | | | | look like their more genuine counterparts, except |
| beggars and mendicants.Yet, business thrives | | | | their glass panes are either smaller or tinted or |
| within the confines of glass-paned beauty parlours | | | | both, giving passersby just about enough occasion |
| and hair salons. Expert hands scissoring away at | | | | to see their wares, nattily dressed young women |
| long, dark, luxuriously beautiful hair are a sight one | | | | with shoes up to their calves and hair styled in all |
| can behold any time of the day or night, almost. | | | | shapes, sizes and colours. Walk in, negotiate, do |
| Around festival times and annual May Day and | | | | your business in a curtained/ply-walled room at |
| National Holidays, in particular, business explodes in | | | | the back and walk out, singing your favourite |
| anticipation of long-awaited vacations and happy | | | | song.Rajesh Kanoi (Jack) is a published writer, now |
| reunions. That's when beauticians and barbers | | | | living and working in China. Many of his |
| work like Edward Scissorhands, their fingers | | | | short-stories, poems and articles have been |
| inspired, their hearts on song.These establishments | | | | published, including a book of short-stories, 'From |
| are often staffed by trained personnel, some with | | | | China With Love' (Lipstick Publishing). |