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Chiropodist in step with patients' needs

By Qin Zhongwei (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-03-26 08:02

Dai Hong is a well-regarded chiropodist. Wang Jing / China Daily

Dai Hong, a 30-year-old Inner Mongolian woman who is crowned "the most popular female chiropodist" by her clients serving the capital's well-known Qinghuachi Bathhouse & Chiropody Center, talks to METRO about the reasons why she has devoted her life to taking care of people's feet.

METRO: How did you become a chiropodist in Beijing?

Dai: When I first came to Beijing in 2002 from my hometown, Chifeng, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, my dream was to run my own clothes shop or to be a fashion designer one day. But my Mandarin at that time was not good at all. Sometimes I could not even understand what other people said and therefore I was embarrassed to speak with others.

I started as a waitress in this bathhouse. Then I gradually realized that being a chiropodist might be a suitable job for me, as pedicurists don't need to talk a lot while they are working. So it was quite a practical reason why I picked this job.

METRO: How did you learn it?

Dai: I was assigned to a chiropodist and I worked as a footcare assistant, doing tasks such as preparing sandals or towels. When I worked I observed what the chiropodist did whenever I was not busy. After he got to know that I was interested in it, he always let me stand near him and watch closely when there was only one customer left.

I also trained for half a year to get the qualifications necessary to become a chiropodist. During that time, the general manager of this bathhouse, the fellow practitioners, and the waitresses were all my "customers". I borrowed them to practice my skills. I gave up going shopping or having fun with my friends during weekends but stayed in my dorm to learn the skills. I practiced a lot, but you know, with my first customer, I was still very nervous and sweaty.

METRO: What is the life of chiropodist like, how many customers come to you every day?

Dai: There are about 20 to 30 customers everyday. Old people used to be the majority, as most of them have a deep attachment to this 105-year-old bathhouse. But now, more young people and even children come with the hope that I can help them. It is becoming fashionable for people to take care of their feet.

METRO: Are there a lot of regulars among your customers?

Dai: Yes. More than 80 percent of them are regular customers.

METRO: There are nearly 100 chiropodists in your bathhouse, and most of them are male. What makes you stand out among others? People call you are beautiful. Is that the reason?

Dai: It seems there is a stereotype that chiropody in China is a man's job. Even now, as you see, among my colleagues there are only four female chiropodists . But women who do this job have their own advantages, I think. For example, many people come to me because they think women are more careful and detail-oriented. At the same time, our treatments are soft compared with our male counterparts.

METRO: You said you wanted to become a fashion designer? Is your current job at odds with that dream?

Dai: Well, I used to be a fashion designer. But my customer once said to me that this job is equally beautiful. I don't know whether it was a compliment or not. Foot problems usually are not considered as disease. I am glad that nowadays people are more and more realizing that they need to take care of their feet and come to us to do the footcare.

METRO: Are you satisfied with your job now?

Dai: Yes, I think I am. When I first came to Beijing, my salary was 400 yuan a month. Now I can earn 4,000 to 5, 000 yuan each month. But it is not all about the pay.

I have some regular customers, studying or working abroad, who regularly fly back to Beijing from time to time to let me solve their feet problems. They trust my skills and me. I feel my personal value from that trust.

You know, Chinese chiropody is a manual skill rather than a medical specialty like it is in the West. By using special knives and chisels, we have this marvelous ability to deal with nearly all kinds of foot problems, without making the feet bleed. It is as sophisticated and magical as Chinese acupuncture. I am interested in digging into it.