Tsui-ku told me of their life of constantly welcoming new guests and seeing off old ones. When unhappy they still had to laugh loudly, and when they could not stand the taste of wine they still had to drink a great deal; when sick they still had to entertain guests, and when their throats hurt they still had to sing. There were, she said, rough guests, if even slightly dissatisfied would throw wine about, overturn tables and curse loudly.
These affairs were never investigated by the madam, who on the contrary would say that they had not entertained the guest well enough. She told me too about evil customers who kept up their horseplay from sunset until dawn, until it became unbearable.
Shen Fu, “The Delights of Roaming Afar” (Six Records of a Floating Life)
