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Fancy having your fringe singed? Chinese barber still practising rare art of Dahuojia, where hair is burned off with hot tongs
Wang Weibu practices the ancient art of Dahuojia hairdressing Mr Weibu, 73, says he can create perms that last three months Style of hairdressing became unpopular in the 1980s
By Emma Thomas PUBLISHED: 17:00 GMT, 31 October 2013 | UPDATED: 12:45 GMT, 1 November 2013

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When it comes to creating stylish designs Chinese hairdresser Wang Weibu is quite literally hot stuff. The traditional barber is one of the last still practicing the ancient art of Dahuojia hairdressing, which involves using a pair of red hot metal clamps to burn hair off rather than cut it. If the hair is too long, the clamps are used like a pair of scissors to cut it to the desired length and then the expert slides the burning hot metal over the rest of the hair to create a perm which he claims lasts up to three months. Scroll down for video

Smoking! The red hot metal clamps are used to burn hair off rather than cut it

Traditional: Chinese hairdresser Wang Weibu (left) says business is god but it is mainly older people that come to get their hair cut this way

Hot: The metal clamp is left in a wooden fire until it is red hot, then cooled slightly with water before it is used on the hair for the first time

Chinese barber demonstrates art of Dahuojia. Burning hair

This traditional method of cutting hair was widespread in China until it went out of fashion in the 1980s. Now hardly anybody wants a haircut using the unusual method. Mr Weibu, 73, said: 'It's not just a shortage of hairdressers offering the method, there are also not very many customers that are interested in it any more. It is mainly older people that come to my shop nowadays. And like me one day they won't be here any more either.'

For the moment, however, business is going well at his shop in Jinshi, Santai county in Sichuan province, southwest China. He said: 'My customers agree with me that hair done in this way can keep the same shape for 3 months. It works well.'

Business: Mr Weibu says business is going well at his shop in Jinshi, Santai county in Sichuan province, southwest China

Method: Hairdressers slide the burning hot metal over the rest of the hair to create a perm which Mr Weibu (pictured left) claims lasts up to three months

Rare: Mr Weibu said his store (pictured) is one of the only ones left in China offering the traditional style of haircutting

The metal clamp is left in a wooden fire until it is red hot, then cooled slightly with water before it is used on the hair for the first time. Clients then have their hair washed before the clamp is used a second time to shape it.

Mr Weibu said the only drawback is that some people don't like the smell of burning hair but most of his clients don't think it is an issue. 'My business is quite good.' He added.

Cooling down: The metal clamps are cooled slightly before they are used to cut hair

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Comments (105)
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View all Peter323, Los Angeles, 1 hour ago When I was a boy in Bramhall, Cheshire, England in the late 1940s, the barber would singe my hair all over with a burning taper as a treatment for asthma and bronchitis. i can still remember the horrible odor of burning hair. I hope barbers no longer practice this sort of primitive medicine, and that parents and grandparents no longer seek it for the young. If they want burnt hair, let them have the barber do it to them.

0 0 Click to rate g55rumpy, Toledo USA, United States, 5 hours ago johhny carson had a guy on his tv show years ago doing this

0 0 Click to rate

J.S., London, United Kingdom, 18 hours ago After watching the video, NO WAY can that be good for the hair.

0 4 Click to rate peacemaker, Poole, United Kingdom, 20 hours ago But you can't possibly show an image to see what the haircut actually looks like

0 14 Click to rate JonAlan, Manchester- USA, 21 hours ago Makes sense....Sichuan does have the hottest food on earth.

1 2 Click to rate Doaba Lion, Toronto, Canada, 22 hours ago Thank you, but not on my head !!

0 4 Click to rate Neville, Norwich, 22 hours ago Looks like a Premiership football match.

2 2

Click to rate estebe, bristol, 22 hours ago nothing new here, i used to get this done on bond street in london in the 1980's with a taper.

0 8 Click to rate diff29, Cardiff, United Kingdom, 22 hours ago Weird country! Very weird!

9 8 Click to rate Plum, Cloud nine, United Kingdom, 23 hours ago I remember in the 60s my hairdresser used to singe the ends of my hair with a taper. They said it stopped split ends. Didn't look as brutal as this tho lol

0 15 Click to rate The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

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