Centuries-old remedies refresh spa patrons

Ladies looking for a relaxing way to find their inner calm to promote wellness may want to consider pampering themselves with a not-so-routine day at the spa - in good old-fashioned Chinese style.

Harnessing the holistic power found in traditional Chinese plants such as tea leaves and bamboo, foreign spas in Shanghai are increasingly looking to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to deliver a spa treatment that clients will fall in love with.

Aimed at achieving balance and relaxation, such treatments incorporating thousand-year-old TCM practices are meant to encourage well-being via three channels: jing (life force), qi (vital energy) and shen (spirit).