The daughter of Auntie Chang from the massage parlor used to go to school with the teacher’s niece. Through the teacher’s sister’s help, we were able to visit the BaiLing Massage Parlor run by Auntie Chang and her husband. Other than asking Auntie Chang and Uncle Tsao questions, we also had a massage. At first we were scared, but then we all enjoyed it. Here’s the interview record:

 

Auntie Chu-Hsien Chang and Uncle Yi-Fan Tsao

 

Date: December 30th 2011 Weather: Cloudy

Location: BaiLing Massage Parlor at

Kuangfu S. Road and Keelung Road

in Taipei

 

 

 

 

Interview:

Q1:How did you learn the massage skills?

Auntie Chang: Those who lost their eyesight when they were little would go to a school for the blind. When I was in high school, I had to decide whether to have further studies or to work. I was trained with massage skills and medical knowledge in a school for the blind in Taichung. Not anyone can be blind a massage therapist.

 

Uncle Tsao: The visually impaired who lost their eyesight since childhood usually go to the school for the blind in Taipei or Taichung. They are trained to be massage therapists there. As for people like me, who didn’t lose eyesight in childhood, we learned to massage at Institute for the Blind of Taiwan in Xinzhuang and Mu-Kuang Rehabilitation Center for the Blind in Ilan. It is Xinzhuang that I learned to be a massage therapist.

Q2: Can kids get massage?

Uncle Tsao: Certainly. But they should be massaged by a professional massage therapist. My sister’s baby was gassy. After I massaged the baby, issues with gas were gone.

Q3:Why do the blind wear sunglasses?

Auntie Chang: Some causes of blindness can leave the eye looking grotesque, so they put on sunglasses out of courtesy. Some other weak sighted people wear sunglasses because certain spectrum of light hurt them. Furthermore, even with the help of the white canes, the visually impaired cannot detect if there are billboards positioned too low or tree branches. The lenses protect the eye from direct damages. As for me, since my eyes aren’t afraid of the light, wearing sunglasses would block my mere light. That’s why I don’t wear sunglasses. Those who don’t wear sunglasses may be visually impaired, too.

Q4:Do you need a guide dog?

Uncle Tsao: Although I have severe amblyopia, I can still see some images. That’s why I don’t need a guide dog. Plus, not every visually impaired can have a guide dog. The person has to have the right environment for the dog. Although I don’t have a guide dog, I want to tell you all that it is forbidden to offer food or tease the dog when it’s on duty. They are work dogs. When they are out with their owners, they are on duty. Certainly uneven floor and signs of different height would influence guide dogs’ performance.

 

Auntie Chang: My two children are my best guides, so I’ve never thought about applying for a guide dog.

Q5: Auntie Chang, your style looks very young. How do you choose what to wear?

Auntie Chang: The Social Affairs Bureau has arranged a social worker to help with things, but my clothes are bought from a shop owner whose taste I trust a lot. Sometimes my daughter goes shopping with me as my stylist. That’s why I look young, because my style is closer to my daughter’s.

Q6:What do you think Taipei should do to improve the visually impaired’s life?

Uncle Tsao: The most important thing is the transportation. I think the MRT has done a great job with their guiding service. I hope the audio tour will get better for the sake of the blind.

 

Auntie Chang: HSR has good guiding service as well. One time I took the HSR. I showed them the ID to prove I’m a visually impaired. They put a sticker on me and had someone assist me. There are also rehabilitation buses in the Social Affairs Bureau. We can apply for a ride. The bus would come to an assigned meeting point, then the bus would take us to where we want to go. Since all the disabled could apply for it, our demand usually exceeds supply.

 

 

 

 

Massage Time

 

Afterthoughts:

Hsin-Tung: I received massage from Auntie Chang. It felt so comfortable. Although Auntie and Uncle can not see, they know where the customers want to be massaged. Ming-Han even had massage twice! Uncle Chang said that after Chief Justice’s statement, massage therapist is not an occupation for the blind any more. Because it is very competitive, I hope people will be more supportive to blind massage therapists.

 

Ming-Han: While everyone was only massaged once, I was twice. I really like being massaged. It’s been hard for our A-Ching Teacher to lead all these naughty students. Auntie Chang said she’d let A-Ching relax, so she asked the boss, her husband Mr. Yong-Chang Hsu, to massage A-Ching. Master Hsu was really good. As soon as he touched the teacher’s shoulder, he knew her muscles are tense. He suggested her to take good care of her health.

 

Yen-Ching: We took turns to receive massage. Uncle Tsao’s hands were really strong. Luckily I’ve been trained by my father’s massage, so I didn’t feel much pain. It was different for Ming-Han though. Fortunately Uncle Chang didn’t put too much strength to massage her, otherwise Ming-Han will never have massage again. Ming-Han really enjoyed the massage, she even asked for another massage and said she’d bring her parents over to enjoy massage, too!

 

Pei-Yu:I was massaged, too. I felt very relieved after massage. I think it’s not easy to be a massage therapist, because it’s really hard to make the customers feel comfortable. Especially when the therapists are weak sighted. They are about to lose their eyesight, but they still work hard. I really admire their spirit.

 

Yi-Ting: I received massage from Auntie Chang. It felt great! Both Auntie Chang and Uncle Tsao are visually impaired, but they do know how to massage. Amazing!