I've talked about this on past blogs, but in case you are new or forgot, this is a very common sight in most parks. It's a short maybe ten to twenty meter path that is made up smoothed over rocks which are arranged so they point up.
The idea is that you walk across it barefoot and the rocks push into your feet. Why intentionally hurt yourself? Well it's a type of medical exam in that after you do it, you have to decide which parts of your foot hurt, then you consult a chart and it tells you what your ailment is. For example if the area right under your big toe hurts, than your spleen has some problem. While that's not the exact thing as i can't remember the chart, i think you get the point.
I've also been told that it's a kind of exercise. If you walk across this often than it's is supposed to improve your over all health.
In my personal experience, it hurt the first time i tried, but since then it never hurts. I can now jump around on it without any pain. As much as i'd like to say this is because i'm the pinnacle of health, I think it's more to do with the fact that taiwanese friends always push me to do it to "give it a try" but they never do it themselves. I think there is something wrong if i've done it a hundred times and most friends have only taken two steps in their lives and then given up. Sigh, so nice for Taiwanese that they never have to try Taiwanese things.
