Foot Binding History

Many women have misshapen, maimed, bounded, altered, injured, and changed their bodies for their culture. Foot binding was a tradition that began in the 12th century and became more prevalent in the 17th century. Chinese women practiced foot-binding; this process forced women to have broken and bent bones in their feet, for what society considered the most desirable for women. This custom expanded from the class to class. This was considered crucial in order to get a good husband. Men desired women with tiny feet and would overlook them even if they were beautiful. With this excruciating process which has the young girls fold all of their toes down to the bottom of their foot, except the big toe. To make their foot look slenderer and pointed,
Bound feet were rated according to foot size, the most wanted size was three-inches. “The golden lotus was the goal, but four-inch feet called a silver lotus was also respectable. In contrast, girls with iron lotuses - feet that are five inches or longer - are considered less of a catch with little prospects for marriage.” (Carlos). The evolution of foot binding took up to 2-3 years to achieve the golden lotus. These women had to change into smaller shoes every few weeks. When their feet began to grow, they endured a lot of pain from how tight the shoe was becoming. To bind feet was a process, a process that was not only inhumane, but also long, excruciatingly as well as agonizing. The method started when the girls were between 4-7 years old. The reasoning to start the process so young is their bones were still soft and therefore easier to
They were forced to bind their feet by their parents and or ancestors. This became mandatory for the mothers bind their daughter's feet, due to the humiliation she would endure and that they would discharge her duty as a mother. “Foot binding … had begun as an ostentatious luxury, which made a girl less useful in family, work and more dependent on help from others.” (Fairbank 367). With that being said, women were often home bound due to they couldn’t walk or venture far due to the pain and unsteady support. This made them more conventional and more willing to obey their