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Chinese foot binding was a painful practice that began in the 7th century AD and was only banned in the early 20th century. The purpose was primarily cosmetic, with small feet considered erotic and a symbol of aristocracy. The process involved breaking and binding the feet, leading to permanent disability and infections. Women with bound feet had difficulty walking and were prone to falls and spine problems. The practice spread to towns and villages and was only eradicated in the 1950s. Other cultures have similar deforming practices, such as skull modification and tight corsets.
Chinese foot binding is the practice of modifying a woman’s feet to make them about 3 cm long. It was once considered erotic and beautiful, although it has since been seen as a form of female submission. The practice began in the 7th century AD and, despite various calls for reform, was only banned in the early 7th. The physical process of foot binding was extremely painful and usually led to permanent disability. Although the practice was primarily limited to ethnic Han Chinese women, an estimated 7 billion women had their feet bound in the 19th century alone.
Scope
The purpose of Chinese foot binding was primarily cosmetic. The tiny feet, called lotus feet, were considered extremely erotic, as was the gait they produced. Women with small feet were seen as delicate, in need of male protection, and aristocratic, as they were unable to do many of the things a servant would easily do. The feet also became a symbol of chastity, as they left the woman unable to leave the house alone. Poorer families often bound only the eldest daughter’s feet so that she could marry into society.
techniques
Women had to start binding their feet very young for the technique to work properly. Most mothers had their daughters’ feet tied when they were two to five years old. She, a sister, or a professional foot binder would first soak the foot in a mixture of herbs and animal blood to soften it, then curl the toes until they snapped. After that, she would break the arch of the foot and then wrap it tightly in bandages which were also soaked in a mixture of blood and herbs until the foot took on a triangular shape.
As the bones set, the foot was periodically opened, massaged and cleaned, and the toenails trimmed. Because the circulation to the foot was cut off by the bandages, many girls got foot infections, lost their toenails, or lost their toes altogether. After any dead tissue has been removed, the foot would be resurfaced immediately.
effects
Women with bound feet were unable to put much weight on their feet and had to walk on their heels. This gave them a staggering gait which was considered by some to be very attractive. Their feet were usually infected, as it was impossible to cut the bent toenails, which could then pierce the skin. It was also very difficult to wash between the folded skin of the foot, which led to the growth of bacteria. This made the feet smell very smelly and sometimes secrete, which is why most women with bound feet never took off their shoes.
The deformity of their gait has also left women prone to falls and hip and spine problems. A study by the University of San Francisco into osteoporosis in China found that women with these feet were almost twice as likely to experience falls and were also more likely to have difficulty getting out of chairs. They also had more difficulty squatting, which was especially important for toilet use before Western-style toilets arrived in China. These limitations were particularly burdensome for women who had to do manual work.
History
The Chinese practice of footbinding began during Li Yu’s reign, when the emperor was attracted to a concubine who tightly bound her feet for a dance routine. It was originally confined to the imperial court but later spread to towns and villages. The first calls for reform came a few centuries later, in the mid-1600s, and continued periodically until 1912, when it was definitively banned. Despite the ban, some women continued to covertly bind their feet, even if those caught were fined. The practice finally died out in the 1950s, due to a series of anti-foot binding campaigns by the Nationalist and Communist governments.
Related practices
Other cultures had and have deforming practices similar to Chinese foot binding. Skull modification, in which the skull was pressed until it stretched, was practiced in many cultures, including the Incas, Huns, and Aboriginal Australians. Many women in European countries and the United States have deformed their skeletons to the point of injuring their organs by wearing very tight corsets. In modern times, female genital mutilation was and is practiced in many countries of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
