A painful beauty: The history of foot binding in ancient China

The origins of foot binding are unclear, but it is thought to have begun during the Tang dynasty (618-907).

At that time, dancers and courtesans would bind their feet to make them look smaller and more delicate, and the practice gradually spread to other social classes.

By the Song dynasty (960-1279), foot binding had become a widespread practice among upper-class women and was seen as a mark of beauty and social status.

The process of foot binding was incredibly painful and often began when girls were as young as 4-6 years old.

It involved tightly wrapping a young girl's feet in cloth strips, folding the toes under the sole, and applying pressure to break the arch of the foot.

This process continued for years, with the bindings being tightened every day, resulting in a permanent deformity of the foot.

The ideal foot size for a woman was around 3 inches long, known as the "golden lotus."

This size was achieved by binding the foot tightly for years, resulting in the foot bones becoming broken and the toes being bent under the sole of the foot.

Foot binding was a practice that was generally confined to the wealthy and aristocratic classes, as it required the family to forego the labor of their daughters in order to allow them to undergo the painful process of foot binding and the subsequent need to avoid strenuous physical activities.

As such, it was primarily a marker of social status rather than a universal practice.

The practice was often seen as a means of making a girl more marriageable, as small feet were considered a sign of beauty and refinement in Chinese society.

However, it also had significant negative health effects and limited women's mobility, leading to a decline in their social and economic opportunities.

Despite the physical toll it took on women, foot binding persisted for centuries. It was seen as a sign of femininity and refinement, and women with bound feet were considered more desirable in marriage.

Foot binding also became a way for families to demonstrate their wealth and social status, as only families who could afford to have their daughters stay indoors and not work in the fields could afford to bind their feet.

In the early 20th century, foot binding finally began to decline in China as the country modernized and Western ideas of women's rights began to influence Chinese society.

The practice was officially banned in 1912, but it continued in some rural areas for several more decades.

Today, foot binding is seen as a relic of a bygone era, and many Chinese women suffer from the long-term consequences of the practice.