Step 4: The toes and arch were forcefully broken, and then binding cloths were used to curl and hold the feet further.This process lasted for several days to two months. At the beginning, feet were tightly bound to get them used to the binding, then they would be bound tighter and tighter later on. Step 3: Binding cloths were used to force the toes underneath the sole.Step 2: The smaller four toes were curled over to the sole of the foot with great force.This helped to soften feet to make them easier to bind. Step 1: Feet were soaked in warm water with herbs and animal blood.Cotton to pad the inside of shoes to avoid chafing when walking.A needle and thread to sew up the binding cloth.Six binding cloths of at least 260 cm (10") each in length.Here is the general process of foot binding:Ĭhinese foot binding process Materials and Equipment As health care was poorly developed in imperial times, toes were easily infected and prone to sepsis. Infection was the most common problem with foot binding. Sprains and dislocations were almost inevitable. The process of foot binding mainly involved twisting the joints and the arches of the feet to the maximum extent. Some women's feet would be wrapped tightly for a lifetime. Girls had to have their feet bound between the ages of 4 and 9 until their foot bones were set in their adulthood positions and the bandage could be unfastened. Yes, the foot-binding process was very painful. It restricted women from going out, leaving them at home to serve the family. The advocation of foot binding was also an expression of the restrictions on women in feudal society. Many girls born in poor families also bound their feet in order to find husbands and live a better life. Women who had bound feet had a higher status than average women, and they were more likely to marry a man of prestige. With bound feet, a woman's beauty was enhanced and her movement was daintier, which gained the support of both men and women for the practice.įoot binding also showed a girl's status. Thus, bound feet were considered to be attractive in ancient times due to their small size. In ancient China, people took slightness as a symbol of beauty, as well as a 'cherry mouth', oval face, and slender waist. Women bound their feet in pursuit of so-called beauty and a good marriage. ![]() That was mainly because the rich had servants to serve them, since they could hardly walk with bound feet. Generally, it was practiced among rich girls. It was thought to be a sign of beauty.įoot binding began among the Han people. Then other concubines imitated her, making the practice popular, spreading from the royal court to the whole country. It is said that the first recorded foot binding started from the Five Dynasties and Ten States Period in the 10th century, and it became prevalent in the Song Dynasty era (960–1279).Īccording to an account, an emperor's favorite concubine danced on a gilded lotus flower with bound feet, which gained the emperor's favor. It was a practice for women to cater to the deformed aesthetic of the time, and it seriously affected women's health. Bound feet more than 4 inches in length were considered common.įoot binding in China was similar to corsetry in Western countries. Feet between 4 and 3 inches took second place. People called them 'three-inch golden lotuses'. The smaller the better was the thinking.ģ-inch feet were considered the best. ![]() Their bound feet were contorted to only a few inches in length and were called lotus feet. What was foot binding?įoot binding was the practice of tightly bandaging girls' feet in cloth to alter their shape. Foot binding was a Chinese custom of curling up young girls' feet to modify their shape.
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