Hehe Health Club, an establishment providing Chinese traditional style massage, spa and tea, is located at 206 Nanshan Lu, Shangcheng district. The stylish two-floor villa is a city-level protected building.

It is the former residence of nationally famed engineer Mao Yisheng who designed and built the dual-use Qiantang River highway and railroad bridge in the 1930s. It is still in use today.

The interior dcor of Hehe Health Club offers a range of traditional elements: tea tables, fishpond, Buddhist statures and mosaic lotus flowers.

The atmosphere, calligraphy works on the walls and a cup of good tea have a calming effect on customers before their massage.

"Our target clients are white-collar managers, successful business people who are interested in traditional culture and traditional Chinese medicine," said manager Jiang Yue.

Before the spa or massage, a qualified health consultant determines each person's physical condition. Questions can include queries about such things as particularly cold hands or feet, excessive sweat in summer or a hot temper. Answers help the masseuse decide the emphasis of the massage, which is a combination of acupuncture, pressure points and relaxation.

Jiang said there are many health centers in Hangzhou, but her club tries to combine cultural concepts with well-being. Its masseuses are graduates of qualified Chinese medicine schools and experienced in the principles of acupuncture.

Guang Xing Tang, a clinic sponsored by Hangzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, is also located in an old residence. Services at its Santai Shanzhuang branch include acupuncture, guasha, medicinal foods, health consultation and foot massage.

Tourists can relax with a cup of rejuvenating herbal tea and have a massage to relieve the fatigue of travel.

Both Guang Xing Tang and Hu Qing Yu Tang operate health food restaurants with herbal recipes and foods for people with particular health conditions or others who just want a nutritious meal.

According to Kong Xiaomin, director of the Shanzhuang branch, the Hangzhou city government has considered traditional health operations an industry since 2009.

"Based on traditional Chinese medicine principles, we can give people helpful advice on life, food and exercise," Kong said. "I'm certain the concept of traditional health preservation has a great market potential."