Cai Er（采耳), also known as ear cleaning, is a traditional skill that originated from the folks in ancient China. In recent years, it has gradually become popular from Chengdu to all over China. Usually, we can see in the cai er parlors, the professional workers use various tools to stimulate the inside and outside of the ear canal and take out earwax (also called cerumen) deep in the ear. After feeling a little itchy and nervous at the beginning, the customers usually quickly relax and enjoy the experience.
Cai er is a delicate process that requires the use of nearly a dozen specialized tools and is served by professionals. Generally, it begins with a massage around the head and ears, then cleans the ear canal with feathers and cotton swabs. Finally, the acupuncture points of the ear are stimulated by the vibration of tuning forks.
A whole set of caier tools
This whole process has many advantages like soothing the spirit and regulating mood. After Cai er, most people find themselves deeply relaxed and their anxiety and tension were gone. Some popular ASMR videos, for example, simulate the process by using the sound of a special tool rubbing against the ear, since the human body finds it relaxing. Cai er can not only clean the dirt of the ear canal but also play the role of ear health care. Although the ear is small, it’s distributed with 108 acupuncture points, each of which corresponds to a different organ and system in the body. In traditional Chinese medicine, they can be professionally massaged to treat ailments such as headaches.
Of course, those who have not experienced cai er, should be careful to choose the place and frequency of visits. In fact, our ears have a certain self-cleaning ability, so frequent ear cleaning is not encouraged. If you do find that you enjoy cai er, find a place with a fully disinfection environment. Then all you need is to relax, stay as still as possible, and talk to the worker as soon as you feel uncomfortable.
Here are cai er parlors recommended in Beijing with locations all around the city:
Pu Er（蒲耳）Xiang Er Kong Jian（享耳空间）Wu Zhi Sheng（五指生）
READ: Seeing Beyond the Surface: A History of Blind Massage in Beijing
Images: Baidu Image, Zhihu
