Quotable

For years, taking a bath at the Xinyuan Bathhouse has been a weekly habit for me. It is really sad to see a century-old bathhouse close."

Comment by a Beijing resident, surnamed Zhu, who said she wished the government would help save the bathhouse, which will close on Sept 20. Rising costs of water, electricity and gas have become a burden. Xinyuan Bathhouse, located on Yandaixiejie Street in Beijing's Xicheng district, is one of the oldest bathhouses in Beijing. It was founded during the Guangxu years of the Qing Dynasty (1875-1909). The manager of the bathhouse says it will be converted to a small inn. The initial founder of this bathhouse was Li Fuqing, the foster son of renowned Qing Dynasty eunuch Li Lianyin. The bathhouse gained popularity at that time as lots of significant politicians and merchants flocked to bathe there.