A bar in southern China has become trendy on social media for providing cocktails which allows customers to indulge in a traditional “beat the villain” ritual in an effort to drive away bad luck.
The drink, called a “Villain Hitting Cocktail” which is served at the Lotus Lounge bar in Guangzhou, Guangdong province boasts that it will let you banish bad energy with a slipper in your hand.
According to a video clip which attracted 50,000 likes and 130,000 shares on a leading social media platform, after a customer makes an order, a waiter brings a wooden box that contains a cup of cocktail and a plastic female slipper on the box.
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Customers can opt for smacking the “villain” themselves or ask the waiter to do it on their behalf while they simply watch the process.
“Please help me whack those I dislike and whack my troublesome boss,” a woman who shot the video is heard telling the waiter.
The waiter is then seen holding the slipper to beat a piece of green incantation paper on the box. Customers can write down the name of the “villains” on the paper beforehand.
“Hit your head, so you will never succeed in your life. Hit your hand, so you can not pick up money even when the money is in front of you. Hit your foot, so you will not have any shoes to wear,” the waiter chants while smacking the paper with the slipper.
At the end of the ritual, the waiter uses a lighter to burn the paper, to signal that the bad luck is gone.
After this rite, the waiter opens the wooden box to present the cocktail to the customer.
It is not clear how much the “Villain Hitting Cocktail” is, but the average price at the bar is around 150 yuan (US$20) per person, the leading customer reviewing website dianping.com shows.
The ritual of “beating the villain”, or da siu yan in Cantonese, has been popular in Guangdong for centuries.
Before the mainland government cracked down on superstitious activities in the 1960s, the service of helping customers “beat the villain” was common in Guangdong cities, with stalls usually set up by elderly women under bridges or in alleyways.
Today, some temples in Guangzhou are said to be the most effective venues for beating the villain. Visitors pay about 100 yuan (US$14) to carry out the ritual.
The bar’s novel service has gained traction online.
“It is so funny. I would like to try to repel all the bad people or bad things from me,” one netizen said.
Another person saw a business opportunity and said: “This bar is near my home. I can go there to hit the villain for you.”
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