Foot Binding In China

Foot binding originated in China during the reign of Emperor Yi Lu when one of his concubines with bound feet in the shape of a crescent moon danced for him on the points of her feet wearing lotus shoes. He was so enamored with her that she became his favorite concubine. The other women in his harem decided to follow suit, and the custom of foot binding was born (Foreman 1). The practice continued for dynasties to come and remained until the 1900’s (Lim 1). Eventually, the painful practice became a way to distinguish the rich from the poor since the process was expensive, as well as a way to please men. Chinese girls underwent the painful self-mutilation of foot binding in order to achieve future desirability to men for marriage and social status because
Not many women could afford to have their feet bound, and those who did have their feet bound could no longer help the family and do work (“Beauty’s Sake”3). If a woman with unbound feet was unwilling to do the rough work of the household that she was entitled to do, then she was considered lazy (Jackson 20). Even if a woman did the same actions as women with bound feet did, such as ride in a sedan chair and have maids, she was still not distinguished from the workers and poor women who also had unbound feet (Jackson 21). Binding was so expensive that bound feet symbolized a woman was from a good and wealthy family which also indicated elevated social status. With an elevated social status came an aura of reputability. For example, bound feet turned walking into a smooth and quiet sway, and the sway became a sign of respectability. (Jackson 19). As foot binding spread through the upper classes, it became more and more common for mothers to bind their daughter’s feet (“Bound” 2). If a girl had big feet she was said to have no endurance and temperance (Wang 19). However, these qualities were not desirable for most women; physical attractiveness