Massage in Chengdu is not a spa treatment. It is what people do after work, the way other cities go to a bar. Foot reflexology - zu yu, literally foot bath - is the standard form, available from small shop-front parlours charging modest hourly rates to large leisure complexes of several floors where a soak, a massage, a hot meal and a room for the night can all be had under one roof. Sichuan's version of the tradition is considered by locals to be the best in the country.
What an hour involves
You are given a tub of hot water, usually with herbs or salt, and settle into a reclining chair. The practitioner works the feet first, using thumbs and knuckles across the arches and heel, then moves up the calves and spends the rest of the session on shoulders, neck and back while you stay seated. Pressure is firm and at points genuinely uncomfortable; say qing yi dian, softer, and they will ease off. Sessions are usually sixty, ninety or a hundred and twenty minutes, and many places include tea, fruit and a small bowl of noodles.
The bigger complexes
The larger establishments operate as full leisure centres: bathing pools, saunas, steam rooms, dining halls, screening rooms, games rooms and sleeping chairs or private cabins, with a single entry fee covering the pools and a charge per treatment. It is common for Chengdu residents to spend an entire afternoon or overnight in one. These operate on a same-sex basis for the wet areas, with mixed reception and dining. Towels and toiletries are provided and a locker key with a wristband is the standard system for charging extras to your account.
Practical notes
Reasonable English is uncommon, so pointing at a price list or a translation app is the practical route; most places have a menu of treatments with durations and prices. Hygiene standards vary, so choose a busy shop with clean basins rather than the cheapest on the street, and ask to see the water fresh, which any decent place will do as a matter of course. Prices rise sharply with the quality of the venue, from street-level shops to hotel spas, and none of it requires a booking outside weekends and holidays.
