Recently, I had to go the Chengdu, China for business. Chengdu is located in Sichuan province in China, and is best known, more than anything else, for how spicy its food is. Well, I can definitely confirm that. I can also confirm that the Sichuan men love their mongering as well. Although I have read on other boards that Chengdu has an active BBS (barbershop) scene, I was only able to sample (and hear about) the KTV and sauna places. WARNING!!! The prices were high, so most of you probably won’t be indulging a great deal, especially in a semi-obscure place like Chengdu. However, I thought any of you would like a more inside look at KTVs.

We stayed at the Crowne Plaza Chengdu, located near the center of the city, very close to Starbucks, KFC, Micky D’s, and a bunch of high end stores. All in all, pretty conveniently located AND it has an in-house massage place in the basement. It’s always a dead giveaway, when all the hotel literature says that the massage facility is NOT managed by the hotel. On the first day, we went downstairs to ask what the protocol was, and was given the price rundown. I think it was about $330rmb for the first hour, with decreasing amounts for subsequent hours. They also pointedly told us that we can go downstairs, pick out the masseuse and then get our massage in our rooms. No dummy, I knew what that meant. The problem was that I had no idea what the expected tip would or should be. I ended up not sampling the basement massage offerings, but I did get confirmation from my friends. More on that later.

I spent 3 nights in Chengdu, and they all had the same itinerary. Business in the afternoon, dinner which included REALLY spicy cuisine and then off to a KTV. Just so you know my tolerance, I very much like spicy to very spicy food. However, nothing I have ever sampled comes close to the food in Sichuan. Delicious, yes, but really hot. They use these Sichuan peppercorns in their preparation that makes the food not just hot, but numbingly hot!!! For those who are masochistic, try the spicy hot pot (ma2 la2 guo1). It was great for the first two days, but by the third day, my ass was like a fire breathing dragon.

Anyway, after dinner, every night we were taken to a different KTV by our local business partner. For those who have not spent any time in Asia, KTVs is the method by which Asian (especially Chinese) businessmen monger, drink and party with their friends, customers and clients. Basically, a KTV is a (often) large upscale club with private rooms that have couches, a large flat screen TV, and a karaoke machine. They also have a large stable of women. Now, before I go any further, remember that KTVs are NOT a cheap way to monger. The room fee itself is not cheap, but it depends on the locale and the amount you have to drink. The girls are definitely not cheap, and can be hellaciously expensive in places like Taiwan and HK.

Unless you have a local contact who knows the mamasan, it is exceedingly hard to get a good deal at a KTV. By “good deal”, I mean a reasonable price and the best girls. One of the problems with KTVs is that the pricing schedule is often far from clear. Without the right knowledge, ANY KTV can end up like a ripoff joint.

Okay, assuming you have the right local contact, you’ve ended in a nice, large room, and it’s time to pick out your companion. Different places have different methods of girl selection. In Manila, they use the fishbowl method. All the girls sit in a glass enclosed room. All you have to do is point. The benefit of this method is you see virtually all the girls who are available and there is no embarrassment.

Another method I’ve seen deployed in Macau and Taiwan is that the mamasan will bring in girls to sit with you, two or so at a time. You can then talk to them, mingle and get a feel before saying “yea” or “nay.” Sometimes the mamasan calls all the girls out of the room and then you are questioned as to your interest. Other times, you have to surreptitiously inform the mamasan that you’d like to see other girls.

The third method, utilized in Shanghai, Beijing and Chengdu, is the “line up.” Depending on the size of the establishment, 6 to twenty girls (by no means all the girls in the club) are brought into the room and you can either choose from the line up or ask for another lineup. This is a pretty good method, but sometimes it can be awkward when you’re the last to choose and they keep bringing lineups for you.

After the girl-choosing stage, the normal m.o. is for toasts, shots, drinking games and singing. At some point in the evening, you are asked by the mamasan whether or not you want to da2 bao1, which is the term most used in restaurants for “take home” or “doggy bag.” You should be aware, though, that NOT all clubs are the same. Different clubs, in different cities, have different policies. In some clubs, fewer than 50% will go home with you. In other clubs, all are available. Make sure you tell your mamasan in advance what you have in mind. You can ask the mamasan what the expected “tip” amount is ST and LT.

On the first night, we went to a middle tier type place. Not exactly sure what made it middle tier, as opposed to top tier, other than the tip amount. I’ll say one thing about the place, it was more wild and fun than the other two places we visited. After being seated, we were shown the first line up of about a dozen girls. Surprisingly, over half of them were obviously well-endowed. Yea!

I ended up choosing one of the busty ones wearing a white tank top. After all the other guys chose, each of the selected girls took off their bras and put them in a bag. Well, all right. This was new to me, and it definitely set the tone for the evening. A couple more lineups were given for those guys who had difficulty choosing. On the third lineup, I saw a sweet looking girl. Hedging my bets, I called her over to sit with me as well.

Needless to say, there was A LOT of drinking, and a good amount of groping too. At the end of the evening, the girls got their bras back and each man decided whether or not to take his girl(s) back to the hotel. Although the sweet looking girl was showing more affection during the evening, I have to admit that I was enamored by the big puppies hiding under the white tank top. I ended up asking the mamasan for her suggestion. She said that the busty one was very popular and well recommended. Okey dokey. We have a winner. I confirmed that she was available for overnight, and off we went.

The sweet looking girl got the consolation prize in the form of the standard “sitting” tip for those that weren’t brought home: 300rmb (see, I told you this wasn’t for guys on a budget). I took busty back to the hotel and was a little worried because she was still a little distant. However, after the shower and a little foreplay, she opened up in a big way. She had a great rack, gave a phenomenal bbbj, and was a stellar performer. We ultimately fell asleep around 4am.

At around 6:30, I woke up to the sound of her in the bathroom, taking a shower. My first thought was, “we’ve got a runner here.” However, when she got out of the bathroom, she got back into bed and started blowing me. This time, without much foreplay, the sex was good but not great. I was just hoping to get another round off, as I knew that she wanted to go afterwards. Sure enough, after finishing, she tells me that two of the other girls had texted her and were waiting downstairs in the lobby. I guess long time means two shots and not overnight. Okay. I give her the standard tip (900rmb + 300rmb sitting fee) and back to sleep I go.

On the second night, we went to a “higher end” place. The place itself (as well as the room) was definitely swankier, but I wasn’t that impressed with the line ups. I finally chose one from the third or fourth lineup. Another cute girl who, once again, had a very nice rack. Unlike the prior night girl, she showed a lot of affection. Unfortunately, she got a lot colder after she dressed to go back with me to the hotel. Sure enough, a virtual starfish. Instead of a long time, I sent her off after the first pop. The tip was significantly higher at this place, 1500rmb including the sitting fee for ST. Another 300 if I had taken a second shot. I can already see some of you cringe. I know. But when in Rome . . . .

After sending the girl off, I checked on my buddies who I found were all hanging out in one of their rooms doing a little more drinking with their girls. One of the guys had decided not to “doggy bag” his girl from the KTV. Instead he went to the hotel massage place and had brought one of the massage girls up. Not bad looking. Certainly good enough for a romp. Tired, I wandered off to my room and went to bed. My mistake. The next day, I found out that a couple of the guys went downstairs to the basement massage place, got the vip room, with multiple “massage” rooms and had an almost all out orgy! Talk about rubbing salt into the starfish wound!

It was with that sense of missing out that I decided to try out a place I had read about on another board. Literally across the street was the Prime Hotel. On the 6th floor of this 3 star hotel is a “sauna/massage” place called the Golden Pool. Once again, this was one of those “not managed by the hotel” type operations. Although they had massage prices listed, they were pretty clear as to the “all-in” prices as well.

I had read that they had two or three types of rooms available. The VIP room had something like a soapy mattress massage table. The all-in price was about 900rmb. I was more interested in what I read was the red rope room. Having first read about the “red rope” treatment (some kind of sex swing action) in Mongerx’s report, I was really psyched about trying it.

I specifically asked about it, and the papasan said yes, it was available, but not in the VIP room, because that room didn’t have the metal bars attached to the ceiling. For about 700rmb, I took the regular rooms where I was told the red rope treatment was available for another 60rmb. Like all “sauna” places, I went to the locker room, put my clothes in the locker and took a shower. I could have gone in to the sauna or hot tub if I had so chosen, but I was in a rush.

I was taken to a decent sized room with a table and double sized bed in it and waited for the girls. Two appeared with one of the attendants and I chose the better looking one (maybe a 6.5). Got a mediocre massage for about 20 minutes, but I only had one thing on my mind, the red rope/sex swing thing. After the massage, she inquired if I wanted the full treatment. I said yes, and mentioned I wanted the red rope treatment (tough to do with my limited Chinese). She went out of the room for a few minutes and returned with a small purse.

She started with the obligatory cat bath and then started on the bbbj. However after a few licks, she went into her purse and pulled out a small packet, opened it up and poured its contents in her mouth. I asked her what it was and she replied something in Chinese that included the words “bang bang” and “candy.” She then started blowing me with the stuff in her mouth. Within seconds, it dawned on me what the stuff was. It was the Chinese version of “pop rocks”

Upon contact with liquids the candy “pops” or fizzles. I would like to say that the stuff brought about earth shattering sensations, but alas no. A little apprehensive at first, I merely found the stuff a little irritating (in the mental sense, not the physical sense). Besides, I wanted to get to the red rope treatment. So I told her “enough of this crap” let’s break out the red rope and get freaky. At this point, she tells me that there really is no red rope. All “it” is is using the metal bars during sex. WHAT????

Massively disappointed, I gave it a try, but was really not into it. Given my disappointment and the sticky feeling on my dick from the pop rocks, it took a lot of coaxing to get me interested again. I was barely able to finish, and I couldn’t wait to leave. I took a quick shower, got changed and paid. It was about 705rmb. The 5rmb was for a coke. Usually, these places give you drinks for free, but I guess not here. I was expecting to pay 60rmb for the red rope treatment, but was told that I didn’t ask for it or get it I was confused. Is there really such a thing, but my girl didn’t know it or offer it to me? Or is it just bullshit? I still don’t know.

That last night, we went to another “high end” place. It was located at the Hotel Kempinski, one of the nicest hotels in Chengdu. Once again, it took me a few lineups to find someone I was interested in. Shortly after doing so, my friend’s girl, who was sitting next to me leans over and tells me in Chinese that my Chinese is better this year. Utterly confused, I said “what? You must have me confused with someone else.” She said that she remembered me from Beijing last year. I thought about it for a while and remembered that I did go to a couple of KTVs in Beijing a year ago. She even remembered that hotel we stayed in. Bewildered, I asked her if she was my companion that night. I didn’t think so, because she wasn’t really my type, and I can’t believe that I wouldn’t recognize her at all. She confirmed that she was my buddy’s companion that evening and remembered me after recognizing my friend (not her companion for this evening).

Small world. I guess the KTV girls hop around cities fairly often. Actually, the starfish from the second night had told me that she had worked in Shanghai, Macau and Shenzen previously.

Unfortunately, this was the highlight of the night I found a girl in my third or fourth lineup who was pretty good looking (and had nice cans). However, she wasn’t showing much love during the evening. I KNOW I should have just passed, but since it was the last night, I threw caution to the wind.

In hindsight, I should have ejected and just gone downstairs to the hotel massage place. The sex was barely okay. I booted her out, after tipping her the same as the previous night, even though she intimated about an additional “tip.”

So, at the end of the day, Chengdu seems like a much better city in which to monger than, say, Beijing. Lots of Ktvs and, I hear, many BBS and sauna/massage places. If you’re going with an expense account, or on someone else’s dime, a lot of fun can be had. Ditto for KTV as a general rule. KTVs because of their very (expensive) nature usually have the hottest women. However, because of the language difficulties and the high price, you don’t want to be going to one without someone who knows the lay of the land.

Seque,

Good report.
I plan on a business trip to Chengdu next spring. Nice to hear there is some action in Chengdu...(I expected there would be, just hadn't heard of any until now)
Sounds like language is a limiter... I usually end up in those destinations alone... Any chance you ran across a trustworthy mongering guide?

Thanks for breaking new ground..!!

Regards,

BP

Segue99, great report. I don't particularly care for KTVs myself, but I've found myself in many KTVs while traveling to China and Korea. It is ridiculously expensive as you noted, but a lot of businessmen "bonding" takes place over booze and gals. One faux paus I committed recently in Seoul was asking the hottest chick that stepped in to our room to sit with me; the others gasped, and I was told politely that it's customary for whoever the designated big boss is for the night to have the hottest girl in the place (apparently not me). Lots of etiquette like that.

Good sharing of your perspective.

I would add that Pricing Policies in China differs considerably from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and Korea so I would not use experiences in these countries to try to equate with what happens in China.

Overall, your prices of 300 + 900 sound expensive as compared with Guangdong province (Chang Ping, Dongguan location) but cheap when compared with the mentioned cities, even Jakarta from my experiences (karaoke pricing comparison).

Given that you were taken by your local counterparts, I assume that you paid the right Chengdu prices and was not taken for a ride.
All depends on market situation and location etc.

My experiences in China tells me that drinks in Karaokes are far cheaper than in those mentioned countries too where you would probably end up with a drink bill that is 2-4 times what you would incur in China.

While I rarely do like to go to Karaokes in other cities, I find that Karaoke charges (room and drinks) are relatively inexpensive in China for those who drink more than lightly as compared with paying for my own drinks & lady drinks in other localities (even when compared with Beer Bars - Ago Gos in Bangkok; AC etc).

I do like the girls to drink some alcohol & party with me and for that, China is relatively affordable even in the Karaokes provided you order a whole bottle. I hate having to count how many drinks the girls and I are consuming as we party on.

On the red rope treatment, not all rooms would be rigged out for them to hang the ropes but your captain did confirm that the non VIP rooms were OK. Perhaps, you could have confirmed with both the captain and the girl that she could perform the "tricks" before you picked her. That would have cleared the air before you took her into the room and discovered later she was not going to do so. It has happened to me once and I learnt to make sure.

Lastly, on the girl wanting to leave because her friends were waiting, putting your foot down and offering her a lower exit fee may have solved the problem but, you can never tell. An unwilling body in your bed is not necessarily a happy situation esp when you have language difficulties.

Segue-- welcome to my adopted home town... I bought a condo here last year and spend most of my free time there nowadays. There's a reason I don't write anything about it...


hot pot-- huo3 guo1 is the common name most locals use and the most well known name, ma la can be used but is less widely used and it refers to the ma2 (looks likes pepper corns floating in the broth), but in reality all huo guo in sichuan is made like this. BTW, you typically do not eat the ma... Although ma is not hot spicy, they do numb your tongue. Most dishes in sichuan have powdered ma spinkled on top as well which is quite tasty when mixed in with chili oil. Glad you had got to taste some decent local food tho!! Sichuan food imho is the best in the world! There's plenty of other MORE spicy delicious foods than huo guo btw


As for you mongering stops, you went to all the wrong places. Not your fault of course. This is not a tourist town mongering wise. KTVs, hotel girls, etc serves business clients and richer locals for the most part. Due to that prices are jacked and service is very spotty. Price is really no object for chinese when entertaining clients and these places know it. If you/anyone wants to really have fun sichuan style it calls for breaking out of mongering mode (ktv/massage/etc) and heading to clubs, dancing, and flirting. There's plenty of local talent for anyone with a pinch of a personality (I barely qualify in this respect). The other approach is to just settle for ho hum sex at lower end bbs where local go. Not bad, a big step up from cambo brotheels, but certainly not lavish if tyou get my drift. Chinese (mandarin) is required tho unless your with a local.

crazier-- pricing has a huge range-- at clip joints (i.e. mor eexpensive places) those prices are common, but I can also pop a nut with 200 yuan quite easily as well. Keep in mind, chinese hosts are not going to take him to a cheap place out of face... Since I know dongguan/shenzhen vs interior china-- the sex scene in dongguan is unmatched anywhere else I've been to in china. Chengdu gals imho are the hottest and the food kicks ass, but in terms of p4p everywhere pales vs dongguan (in fact not even close). If one wants to budget fuck (and can speak) just drive out to the countryside and fuck for 2-3 bucks in the rice field brothels.


As for putitng the foot down-- I wouldn't recommend that in chengdu unless one is able to converse in mandarin and has a lot of common sense. Chengdu gals can be fiery in many respects and you don't want to find out the hard way...

(Message edited by donmarco on November 09, 2006)

From my recollection, Chengdu was a little cheaper than Shanghai and Beijing with respect to the tip. The room fee in Chengdu was between $250 - $500 (dollars), but that included a minimum of 3 bottles of whiskey or brandy and 6 guys and their companions. I'm sure there are less expensive KTVs in every city in China. I just happened to be taken to the higher-end ones.

However, for real sticker shock, consider the prices at a high-end Taipei KTV. Depending on liquor consumed, the room fees can be about $500 person (some of that goes to the girl). And the "tip" for sex is another $300 (often only one shot). Yeow. Not for the faint of heart or wallet. Only really recommended when it's done on someone else's dime. If it's MY dime, I much prefer LoS, Brazil or AC.

DM - You're right that the locals just call it huo guo. But since huo guo means literally "fire pot," and that term is used throught China (and Taiwan) to mean cooking and eating from a communal pot, I wanted to differentiate the Sichaun style with the red (almost black) liquid. In other locales the people drink the soup from the pot at the end of the meal. I simply can't imagine people drinking, undiluted, the soup from the Sichuan style hot pot. I'm sweating just thinking about it.

Merlin - Usually it's the guest who is the "Big Boss" for the night and gets first choice from a lineup. It sure does suck when your friend (and not you) end up with the hottest woman in the joint. And when, of course, she turns out to be a nymphomaniac.

Yes, much cheaper than Shanghai or Beijing, but I don't care for either place (shanghai or beijing) relatively speaking + don't consider either a mongering stop. I love chengdu because living wise it is very affordable (real estate has been going through the roof the last 5-6 years tho) for a modern city with all the conveniences. Although far from a mongering locale, there's enough pussy to keep one in good spirits. Add in awesome food, decent climate, very laid back atmosphere, and wonderful location geographically and it's a DM keeper.

Good thing I've never been to those chengdu KTV's, let alone Tapei -- as I get cold feet @ anything over 350-400 yuan! You hit the nail on the head when you said "when it's on someone else's dime" it seems many places are designed just for that purpose (expense accounts).

Glad u had a good time-- and your stomach made it out in one piece ;)

FYI-- I usually end every huo guo meal by spooning out 4-5 laddles of "liquid heat" into my rice bowl and gulp it down... Usually a few specks of rice in my bowl absorb a little heat tho for good measure. Absolutely the fitting end to a great meal! Sweat, burning ass the next day, and all!

I haven't made a trip to China yet and all these information is very interesting to me. I can't wait to go there and find out by myself.

Speaking of Taiwan, Korea and Japan, I agree with Crazier and Seque99. In Taiwan, you have to spend close to $1,000 for highend KTV and ST.

Korea is about the same $500 per person for KTV 2-3 hours (located Kang-Nam Area, expensive high end area) and ST in your room.

If you have someone local who can take you to a special place called "Yo-Jung" then you will experience Korean King style night with various special Korean traditional dancing and 50 plus dishes of dinner/drinking party. The Madam will make sure that you are treated right and happy with the girl.

The girls are usually college student who study in Korean Traditional Music school. They too will make sure that you are happy. No runner unless you are completly druck and can't wake up until 10am (then you discovery that she went to school) I went to this place few times because of my business partner in Seoul. One time I was very druck and by the time I woke up she was gone but left nice message in English with her cell#. She later came back for dinner and stayed with me when I called her. Apperently these girls do not work every day but just few days when they need some buck.

In Japan, you can also go very high end place where you will drink like Japanese party style (seen on the movie KILL BILL 1?) with Geisha girl dancing. This I heard can cost as much as $1,000 and more per person. The next day when I asked how much is was to my business partner, he simply said "don't ask.. it is too much"

I like high end sometimes but I think how sweet the girls are when they are in your room with you is the most important part.

(Message edited by donmarco on November 10, 2006)

This has been a very enlightening thread.

Many thanks to the original poster as well as the add ons!!!

no pics of the chinese girls ??

thanks 4 the report..