In most countries and cultures of the world where mineral waters and
particularly thermal mineral waters exist there are thriving
businesses that utilise the waters for health, therapy and relaxation.
There is an extensive hot spring and spa industry throughout Asia~Pacific (Japan, New Zealand, Korea and Indonesia), Northern
America (USA & Canada), Europe (Russia, Italy, Germany, Czech
Republic, Iceland) and the Middle East (Turkey, Yemen, Egypt).
Spas are seen as a major source of natural revitalisation in Europe
where there are over 1000 spa centres. Modern medical practices have
been deeply interwoven with spas, leading to medically prescribed
routines to best utilise the spa for healing. They are extremely
popular with the sick and with aging segments of the population whose
minor ailments can be alleviated or healed by the combination of a
mind, body and spirit approach to bathing.
In Japan there are in excess of 17,000 commercial hot springs which
employ some 600,000 people and have an estimated combined turnover of
US$23 billion. In 1996 over 140 million overnight visits to Japanese
Hot Springs were recorded making them the single largest tourist
product in the country. Japanese hot springs are seen as a means of
relaxation for all people of all ages. Just as Australians have
traditionally visited the beach for a day's outdoor recreation and
relaxation, Japanese visit hot springs.
North America also has a history of bathing that stems back over
10,000 years when native Americans bathed in thermal waters that were
considered to be healing places supplied by the gods. Since Western
settlement bathing has enjoyed great popularity and is currently going
through a renaissance in the form of the modern day spa facility.
Over the centuries and millennia stories of bathing have evolved in
almost all cultures of the world passing down the traditions of this
most enjoyable and healthy of activities.
The following are a few collected by the founders of Bathe Peninsula
Hot Springs during their world journey in search of the perfect bath.
Famous Bathing Quotations and Facts
France
Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte on restoring the equilibrium of nature when
he finds himself unwell. "I have no faith in medicines. My remedies
are fasting and the warm bath". P559 Life of Napoleon Bonaparte By
J.S.C.Abbott.
Egypt
Cleopatra, who was devoted to mud, set up a cosmetics "factory" on the
shores of the Dead Sea in 25 B.C.
North American Indians
The Wappa Indians regularly travelled to Calistoga, California, to
partake in health-giving properties of hot springs and therapeutic
muds abundant in the area.
The Indians of the Americas considered hot springs as sacred place
where the "Great Spirit" lived, and thus were great believers in the
healing powers of the heat and mineral waters. Hot springs were
respected as neutral ground, where warriors could travel to rest
unmolested by other tribes and recuperate from battle.
In Arkansas the National Park Service estimates the hot springs in the
"Valley of the Vapors" have been used for at least 10,000 years and
respected as an honored and sacred place by the Indians. It was
believed the springs were the home of the Great Spirit who in using
His breath brought forth the healing warmth of Mother Earth. These
springs were neutral ground for the Indians where warriors from all
tribes could rest and bathe in peace, a refuge from battle.
Ute Indians in the Rocky Mountains would soak in a hot spring that
flowed by the Colorado River. They called this spring "Yampah",
meaning "Big Medicine", and sanctified the spot to their great god
"Manitou".
Shoshone Indians living close to what is now Yellowstone National Park
bathed in the natural healing waters they called "Bah-gue-wana" or
"Smoking Waters". Archeological evidence has shown the Indians lived
in the area for over 2,000 years.
Recommended books
USA - Hot Springs & Hot Pools of the Southwest Revised 1998
Hot Springs Hot Pools of the Northwest Revised 1999.
Japan
SAMBE a collection of Buddhist fables and tales compiled in 984 by the
scholarly courier Minamoto no Tamenori for the edification of the
Japanese Imperial Princess Sonshi.
http://www.gorp.com/atb/ESEASIA/g3271.htm
Guide to Japanese Hot Springs
Sutra on Baths and Bathing for the Clergy
7 Objects used in the bathroom
7 Salutary effects of bathing
7 Benefits accrue
7 Objects used in the bathroom
Firewood;
pure water;
bean husks for scrubbing;
bath oil to moisten,
cool and soften the body;
finely ground ashes;
willow-twig tooth picks and bath robes.
7 Salutary effects of bathing
Relaxation of body;
avoidance of colds;
avoidance of pains;
avoidance of chills;
avoidance of fever;
avoidance of filth;
and refreshing the body and clearing the vision.
7 Benefits accrue
Disorder of the Four Elements are prevented, and in every life into
which you are born you will be lovely in form and pure in person;
Filth is washed away from the place where it lodges and pollutes;
The body is always kept fragrant and one's garments remain clean and
fresh;
The skin of the body is made soft, smooth and lustrous as it can be
made by nothing else;
Many persons will follow and serve you, and brush away the dust and
sweep away the filth from your path;
The odor of the mouth is fragrant and clean and the words you speak
will be followed by people;
At birth you will be naturally clothed and adorned with everlasting
brilliant jewels.
China
Li Shi-zhen, a famous medical doctor from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644
AD) advised people: "if you got ill, go to hot spring area and take a
bath".
In 644 AD of the Tang Dynasty, Tangquan (meaning "thermal spring")
palace was built around a spring. In 747AD the palace's name was
changed to "Huaqing" (meaning Glorious Purity) as the water looked
crystal clear and was sweet tasting and was said to keep one young
forever if one drank the spring water everyday and bathed in it all
the time. It was the most luxurious Imperial palace of the Tang
dynasty.
The Xiaotangshan hot spring area 25km north-West of Beijing is another
famous area that was first recorded in "The Annals of the Yang
Dynasty" about 800 years ago. Since that time, the royal family, the
nobles, lords and high ranking officials in Ming (368-644 AD) and Qing
(1616-1911 AD) Dynasties visited the area very often and built their
own mansions there.
Tea Culture: In ancient times people used certain types of hot spring
water for tea.
Wine Culture: In West China on the Silk Road to Europe in Gansu
Province exists a famous spring called "Jinquan" (Golden Spring).
During the West Han Dynasty (140-117 BC) a great general Huo Qu-bing
commanded his soldiers to expedite to the West and won the war. An
Emperor of the Han Dynasty named Wudi bestowed wine for the victory.
It was obvious that it was impossible to share the wine with so many
soldiers so instead of drinking the wine himself, General Huo decided
to poor the wine into the spring water and enjoyed the "spring wine"
with the whole army. Since then the spring was named "Jiuquan" (wine
spring) and the spring grew in fame and popularity with the telling of
the story.
Hot Springs and Chinese Medicine. From early days people have
investigated the water-body interaction from the basis of traditional
Chinese Medicine. Ban Gu of the East-Han Dynasty thought that hot
spring belongs to "Fire" from the "Five Elements" (Gold, Wood, Water,
Fire and Soil) of the Universe. Thus "cold diseases" such as
arthritics, rheumatism and digestible system diseases could be treated
by hot spring water. Fever Diseases on the contrary could not be
treated by hot springs.
In the year 644 AD in the Tang Dynasty in Liaoning Province at the
site of the Tanggangzi (hot water hill) hot spring a medical treatment
area was established. During the Qing Dynasty more and more people
came to the site to take a bath and or hot mud treatments. In 1950 a
sanitarium was set up at the site with a well appointed
physiotherapeutic hospital and one of the largest physiotherapeutic
centres in China.
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