Tears flow freely at Beijing´s Cry Bar

Law of conservation of emotion

Guo Meng says the law of conservation of energy applies to emotions as well. "Repression leads to emotional imbalance, and that makes you cranky. Crying restores your emotional equilibrium," she said.

Office workers like Guo Meng and Wang Sha have formed a special therapy group that encourages its members to express their emotions. They call it the "cry group".

Psychologist Milulu says urban professionals who keep up a show of toughness are hiding their softer, sentimental sides and this applies especially to men, and women in senior positions.

People restrain their emotions for fear that crying in public may damage their careers. But the same people may tearfully cuddle their dolls at midnight or sneak off to a quiet place for a weep. Psychologists and medical practitioners agree that crying is beneficial for mental health but people still regard it as a sign of failure and bottle up their feelings.