Targeting the “single dog” market opportunity, mainland China has seen a rise in “love experience pavilions,” where for as little as 398 yuan, one can indulge in an “immersive experience” of lying on a maid’s thighs to feel the sensation of first love. However, these ventures offering suggestive and erotic services have sparked controversy after being exposed by the media.
According to a report by “First Gang Group,” 30-year-old Xiao Zhong, who had never been in a relationship, idealized love greatly. While browsing through short videos on an e-commerce platform, he came across a “companion love experience pavilion” in Fuzhou, Fujian Province. Upon visiting the establishment, he was informed by staff that spending a few hundred yuan could involve some “physical contact” with the attendants. This left Xiao Zhong, who was genuinely seeking meaningful connections, feeling “very evil,” prompting him to report the matter to the media.
Following this lead, reporters conducted undercover investigations at several “love experience pavilions” and “companion clubs” in Fujian’s Taijiang District, as well as at Wanda Plaza in Cangshan. They discovered that despite advertising services such as accompanying clients or watching movies together, these establishments were actually involved in borderline suggestive and erotic activities.
At one such pavilion, with closed doors on the second floor, sounds of laughter and conversation between men and women could be heard intermittently. The staff there introduced three package options priced at 398, 498, and 888 yuan respectively, with higher prices correlating to greater levels of physical contact.
The promotional brochure explicitly stated that the 398 yuan/hour package included continuous tactile companionship from maid attendants, allowing clients to “cuddle up to the soft and fragrant maid, watch movies together, and lie on her lap. Massage the shoulders, knead the legs, and experience the feeling of first love with the maid, even hugging and playing together through clothes like lovers.” The 498 yuan package allowed hand placement under clothing, while the 698 yuan option included kissing experiences.
The report highlighted that these pavilions recruited young women aged 18 to 22 through various channels, including minors, with some establishments offering “couples love scripts” for threesome scenarios, where customers could pay for physical contact with two attendants. Some operators believed that such practices were merely on the edge of legality, and even if discovered, would at most be considered illegal operations, causing no concern.
After the news exposure, local law enforcement promptly initiated an investigation. Upon arrival at the scene, they found the establishments deserted, with some documents removed. The local police station stated that they would retrieve surveillance footage from hotels and clubs to proceed with further investigations.