The Peculiar History Of Foot Binding

According to Mackie (1996: 1001) the practice of foot binding spread from the imperial palace, transmitting down through the classes until it was nearly universally adopted. Thus, foot binding can be seen as symbolising one's status. Foot binding came to symbolise gentility, and it was only the absolute lowest of the lower class who were the exception to the convention. Such destitute individuals could not afford for female family members to be foot-bound when their manual labour was needed (Mackie 1996: 1001). However, to avoid such disgrace, many poor families preferred to “struggle along for a precarious living, bringing up their daughters with small feet” (Doolittle 1865: 201). This is in keeping with Veblen's (1934) view that foot binding is a costly display of a family's wealth (Mackie 1996: 1002). Likewise in Africa, female mutilation reportedly spread partly due to individuals wanting to emulate their higher status neighbours who had already adopted the practice (Mackie 1996: 1004). In addition to symbolising wealth, Mackie suggests that female mutilation symbolises a family's commitment to values of purity and chastity (Mackie 1996: 1000, 1008). Given the costs and risks associated with female mutilation, that a family would choose to commit to the practice shows how willing they are to ensure that males can be confident in terms of paternity. With this intention, female mutilation can be seen as symbolising a female's purity and future fidelity (Mackie 1996:

Summary- In “Homeward Bound,” Janet Wu introduces her traditional Chinese grandma who she rarely knows and her bounded feet. The feet are the concrete example Wu uses to illustrate the incredible distance between she and her grandma, between the modern American culture and the old age in China. Wu feels cheated for the years she lost to spend with her grandma. However, she is looking forward to have more touch with her grandma who she has everything but nothing to say.

Foot-binding was considered a symbol of beauty. Women in the upper class practiced foot binding for the reason that men found small feet sexually appealing. Generally, women in the upper class practiced foot binding; however, those of lower class also craved it. Women in the lower class would bind their daughter’s feet at a young age with hopes that she would marry into money. Bound feet were not only an indicator of social standing but wealth as well.

    As part of a practice, Chinese girls have their feet put in bindings. These bindings are part of a process known as foot binding. The foot binding reconstructs their feet physically and marks their worthiness in the eyes of their civilization. Lily has her feet put in bindings for these reasons. However, not only does it change her feet and worth, but the foot binding also alters her “whole character,” causing her to “follow” demands “without question” (4). It is from her lack of rebellion that Lily hides her emotional suffering. Her hurt stems from not telling anyone of the “torturous pain” buried deep in her “heart, mind, and soul” (4). Moreover, from this agony, a battle rages with “the person [she] should

In addressing the subject of footbinding, one primary difficulty becomes apparent - that much remains within the realm of the unknowable. Any factual knowledge about the practice may only be drawn from 19th- and 20th-century writings, drawings or photographs. In addition, many of these documents represent a distinctly Western point of view, as they are primarily composed of missionary accounts and the literature of the various anti -footbinding societies.[1] The historical origins of footbinding are frustratingly vague, although brief textual references suggest that small feet for women were preferred as early as the Han dynasty. The first documented reference to the actual binding of a foot is from the court of

“The shoe is magical, within both the history of the commodity and the psychological compulsions of modern “man.” The shoe is the emblem of fetishism that links the commodity to desire. And the most magical shoe of all is the athletic shoe because it is simultaneously a

In the article, Ko highlights the many misconceptions modern people have on footbinding such as keeping a woman’s foot bound, kept them in a hobbled and subservient domestic state or as sex objects . Afterwards, she states that our “certainties may turn out to be dead wrong” suggesting to readers that she is going to shine a positive light on footbinding. Ko goes more in depth about the three things men believed footbinding was, and why the tradition of binding ones foot was important at that time. The Chinese believed that wearing shoes differentiated and distinguished them from beasts as well as savages

One of these forms called “foot binding” involved young girls being forced to bind their feet so they looked more attractive. “At the age of three to 4 years, girls became the victim of the barbarous custom of Foot binding which was supposed to start in the 10th century and have been in fashion since the early 20th century.” (Patel 771) When the girl turns three, or around that age, the mother tucks her toes under the sole of her foot. She does this by using bandages to wrap them under. This would reduce the foot’s length by about three inches. A classic saying states “For every pair of bound feet, a bucket full of tears.” Currently, only nineteen women remain in the world with bound feet. The main character of the book, Wang Lu, supports all of this pain and suffering because of feudalism. The true definition of feudalism involves peasants doing labor and sharing a portion of the produce in exchange for military protection from the government, which may not seem similar to Wang Lu and O-Lan at first, but the simile here makes sense. O-Lan, or any Chinese housewife in this time, would do labor, the chores, bind their feet, and so on in exchange for a roof over their heads and a place to sleep at night. Wang Lu, however, may not be the only one to support this ideals. In chapter 28, his son states, “I desire a maid from a village, of good landed family and without poor relatives, and one who will bring a good dowry with her, neither plain nor fair to look upon, and a good cook, so that even though there are servants in the kitchen she may watch them. And she must be such a one that if she buys rice it will be enough and not a handful over and if she buys cloth the garment will be well cut so that the scraps of cloth left over should lie in the palm of her hand. Such an one I want.” (Buck 290) With young men looking up to their fathers and mothers, it begins a vicious

It has always been said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. A long time ago in ancient China, it was a mark of pronounced beauty and extraordinary status to have very small feet. There was a custom called Footbinding that mostly members of the upper class endured upon their young daughters. This custom of Footbinding required young girls, around the age of four, to tightly bind their feet to keep them from growing past the approximant size of three inches. This process was extremely painful, yet necessary in order to marry.

Shoe fetishism is a term with a long and complex history, encompassing religious, anthropological, economic, and erotic meanings. Missionary tracts with titles such as Fetishism and Fetish Worshippers denounced the "barbarous" religions of "primitive" people who worshiped "idols of logs or clay." The term fetish was then extended to refer not only to objects allegedly possessing magic powers, but also to everything that was irrationally worshiped. Karl Marx famously coined the term "commodity fetishism" to describe the way objects produced through human labour acquired an exaggerated exchange value. Sexologists and psychiatrists traditionally described fetishism as a sexual "perversion." Today, fetishism is usually characterized as a type of

China has centuries of rich history that is studied today. China is a popular and common area of study when researching East Asian topics. Throughout history, it was recorded that many European explorers were disgusted by the cultural practice of foot binding. They viewed the practice as cruel and unnecessary modifications to women’s bodies. In an article released in 1898, the Washington Post says "man has feet as house-pillars have stone supports, as the cart has its axel. There is no movement nor activity without the use of feet. Therefore in binding there is cruelty like that of cutting off legs." In the nineteenth century, to what extent did western perceptions of foot binding in China differ from Chinese perceptions? This essay argues

In the 1500’s, tribes would have different types of laces on their shoes to show that they were in a different group. Even though the laces differed, it would still do the same job… keeping shoes on their feet for long journeys.

Foot binding, also known as Lotus Feet, is a tradition most people find too intense and torturing to Chinese women that they don’t even want to talk about it. Although it may be uncomfortable or even controversial, talking about it is important because it is relevant to modern women.

In all countries, there are rituals, myths, and taboo that have been, and continue to be practiced to this day. In the critical thinking, I will be focusing one practice in particular, and that is foot-binding. Foot- binding is known at the cruel breaking and bending of the feet of a female and shoved into a shoe. It started in China in the early 10th century. It was during the reign of Emperor Li Yu after his favorite concubine performed a dance with her feet wrapped into hoof-like shapes. The maidens of the court took notice and began wrapping their feet in a similar fashion. This became a trend to women to show wealth and power starting in the south and moving to the north. Girls as young as 4 would practice this act.

The deformed feet, also called golden lotuses were a status and beauty symbol for the women in China. A girl was unsuitable to marry if her feet were not bound. Additionally, the feet became a sex symbol. Some Chinese pornography shows men becoming sexually aroused while fondling a woman's "golden lotuses". (Chinese foot binding- lotus shoes)