Illustration: Luo Xuan/GT

For a very long time, I struggled to distinguish between good massage therapists who are qualified professionals, and the bad ones that provide a personalized service.

Traditional massage has been practiced in China for 2,000 years. When this age-old tradition got mixed with the world's oldest profession, it became a big business. If you've spent time wandering Beijing's streets, you will find massage parlors on almost every corner, providing a variety of services: foot massage, pressure point massage, blind massage.

In a blog titled "Massage in China - 10 tips and what to avoid," the blogger "the guy," advised people to avoid going to massage parlors where they could see pretty girls standing in the window, waving; parlors with pink lights on the outside; or those with signage bearing an enticing name such as "Angels."

After I moved to Beijing in 2006, my friend suggested I try a blind massage, a profession that began in the capital in the early 1990s. According to the World Health Organization, China has the largest population of blind people. Many of them receive professional massage training at specialized universities or the Beijing Massage Hospital. A brilliant concept.

My friend and I decided to have an eye-opening experience at the blind massage place in our neighborhood. The place looked very simple and neat. There was only one private room, with two single beds covered with white cloths. Each of us paid 80 yuan ($13) for an hour-long full body massage.

When we entered the room, I was shocked when my friend undressed completely leaving only her panty on.

"They are blind. They can't see anyway," she said. I was not as relaxed.  I kept my bra and panty on and lay down on the bed, face down.

Two blind male therapists then entered and started the treatment. It was as good as everyone said.

They seem to have a thorough knowledge of the anatomy. They know exactly how to push, knead and press the points to remove the knots and ease your tightened muscles.

My friend said if a blind therapist can pinpoint your weak spots without you telling them, then he or she is good. "Your lower back is bad," my blind therapist said. "No. It is fine. It is my neck that is a problem," I argued. Then he pressed down on both sides of my waist. It hurt so much that I screamed like a child. "It is indeed very bad," he repeated.

"Aaaaaah!" my friend screamed as well, not only because she found the massage painful, but because the "blind" therapist was staring at her when she turned over, lying naked on the table.

Herein lies the painful lesson: "Blind" massage therapists are not all completely blind. Some of them just have really bad eyesight. That day, my friend and I left the parlor very embarrassed.

"Do you think he will recognize me?" my friend asked deeply concerned about her reputation in the neighborhood. "What if I run into him at the market?"

My friend never went back there again. But I do, and I always keep all my clothes on. Still, they put me in a private room because they say I scream so loudly, I might frighten the neighbors.

This article was published on the Global Times Metropolitan section Two Cents page, a space for reader submissions, including opinion, humor and satire. The ideas expressed are those of the author alone, and do not represent the position of the Global Times.