Feature: A massage parlor brings traditional Chinese therapies to Togolese capital

Located in the populous Be-Kpehenou neighborhood of the Togolese capital, the plain-looking house of the Jinchen massage palor has been visited by more and more local people in recent months, due to its reputation for curing pains and offering relaxation by using traditional Chinese therapies.

The parlor, which opened two years ago, receives roughly eight patients per day, and provides a wide range of traditional Chinese therapies, including moxibustion, foot bath, clay therapy, flames therapy, and massage, among others.

Over the recent years, the Jinchen massage parlor has been gaining popularity in the Togolese capital, with its fame expanding gradually beyond the Chinese community following a rising number of visits by local African and French population.

"The first Chinese customer found satisfaction here and then spread our name throughout the community. Gradually, patients from African and French communities also started to come here," Chen Wenyu, manager of Jinchen told Xinhua.

Chen said many of his customers are restaurant staff and construction workers, who first came here for relaxation and later job-related health problems.

"They came here more frequently after feeling the effect of our treatment," said Chen, adding that the flow of customers has grown continuously over the past four months.

Ebah Frederic, a 48-year old Togolese who is an chartered accountant, has been a regular visitor of Jinchen.

He said he has experienced an amazing healing process by moxibustion and fire therapy for soreness in the back, as well as kidney problems.

To his surprise, the treatment also helped him lose weight. "I lost nearly half the size of my belly," Frederic said joyfully. Endi