About the wine houses he writes;‘Every wine house [...]listed here is divided into about ten compartments. The wine cups and jars are all of silver, those shops vie with each other in luxury. Every one of them has a few score unregistered private courtesans, all dressed beautifully according to the latest fashion, who try to outdo each other in charming the guest. In summer they adorn their hairdress with a profusion of jasmine flowers, the fragrance of which fills the gaily decorated streets. Leaning on the balustrade those girls invite customers, which is called ‘selling themselves to the guests’. They are accompanied by young maid servants who will crowd around the guests uninvited, and sing songs as loudly as they can, in order to obtain a tip; this is called ‘scouring the guests’. Those places are full of music and laughter from evening until dawn, every night and every day, chariots and horses stand waiting outside in rows, no matter whether there is storm or rain, or whether it is summer or winter.’ These houses were frequented by middle-class merchants and lower officials.
The ‘houses of the Singing Girls’ or also called 'Tea Houses' were high end. At present in China 'Tea Houses' refers to shops where tea is sold, but in Japan even today the term cha-ya (Tea house, Geisha House) still has the ancient Chinese meaning of maison de rendez-vous in contrast to jorÅ-ya or common brothel. These Tea Houses were abodes of the accomplished courtesans skilled in poetry, dancing and singing. They were visited by high officials, wealthy merchants, writers and artists who were rich or had rich patrons. These places were expensive, but they served only the best of everything. And as during the Tang period, the courtesans of these high class houses formed an integral part of social life.
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