In the pursuit of Beauty

1. In the pursuit of Beauty Chinese Foot Binding

2. Foot binding is often compared to the corset “binding” of the 1800’s

3. What is “Foot Binding” • Foot Binding was created by the Chinese • Foot binding was an attempt to stop the growth of the feet • This was done, so that women’s feet would be tiny

4. What were the feet supposed to look like? • The ideal length was 3 inches, but no longer than 10 cm • They wanted them to look like “Lotus Hooks” • In order to achieve this “look” of “Lotus Hooks,” the feet were bound so that they would bend and become concave

5. Skeletal View

7. When was the process of Binding Feet done? • Foot Binding was done to a little girl between the ages of 3 and 5 years old • The arch of the foot needed to be well-developed so that the perfect “lotus foot” could be formed • So some people waited until a girl was about 5 to bind her feet so as to have a more developed arch

8. “If you love your son, you don’t go easy on his studies. If you love your daughter, you don’t go easy on her foot binding.”

9. What did they use to “Bind” the feet • The girl’s feet were bound tightly with cloth strips, so to keep her feet from growing no longer than 10 cm, about 3.9 inches

10. What happened to “Bound Feet” • The “binding” was done, so as to bend the toes under, break the bones and force the back of the foot together • Four of the toes would break within a year • The first one, or “big toe,” remained in tact

11. The art of binding the feet was primarily for the wealthy in the beginning. • Poor people started binding their daughters feet in hopes they would marry a wealthy man • If she didn’t marry wealthy then the girl was forced to work in the fields on her deformed feet.

12. How did Binding Feet this way give the foot the “Lotus” look • The practice would cause the soles of feet to bend in extreme concavity • These bent and concaved feet were seen and described as "lotus hooks“ • The binding process resulted in intense pain and caused phalanges to fracture easily.

14. Physical Conditions • After binding the feet, it was very difficult for women to walk, run, squat down, etc. • With feet bent, bound, and broken women were handicapped • For the most part, women had to just “hobble” around to get any where

15. Bound feet had to be washed and cared for daily.  • If toe nails grew into the instep, infection could set in.  • If the bindings were too tight, gangrene and blood poisoning could occur.  • The bound foot was painful and tender forever.  • It often had an unpleasant smell.

17. History behind “Foot Binding” • The “lotus foot” was also referred to as the “golden lotus” • It is believed that the origin of the term "golden lotus" emerged in the Southern Tang dynasty around 920 A.D.

18. Tang Dynasty • During the Tang Dynasty the Emperor Li Yu ordered his favorite concubine, Fragrant Girl, to perform a dance for him and the royal court • She wrapped her feet in pieces of silk • She then danced on a golden lotus platform, which was encrusted with pearls and gems

19. Foot binding • Foot binding was practiced until 1911. • Was banned during the revolution of Sun Yet-Sen.