Why Are There So Many Customs In Ancient China

When girls were school age their feet began bending to make them smaller. Their feet were swathe in bandages and drawn towards their heels which caused the bones to break creating a small 3 inch foot. Unfortunately, because of this custom many girls had complication which caused them to have infections, paralysis and some even died because of this gruesome tradition. The Chinese thought that this tradition of binding feet would give a young lady of the affluent class the opportunity of getting a good husband. The lower class and peasants did not divulge in this tradition because the women were needed to work in the

Foot binding is now considered a very extreme and cruel form of body modification. It is almost near impossible to find information on the subject without it being shed in a negative light. The important thing to remember, however, is that body modification in different cultures is usually viewed as a right of passage and honor, not a form of torture. To be able to have your body altered to the definition of beauty in China’s society was a great privilege, and surpassed any pain that went along with the modification.

They know they will not be wed or accepted by their families if they choose not to have a clay plate up to twenty centimeters shoved in their lower lips. Physically, the pain is traumatic and results in a high risk of infection through dirty tools and hands, as well as limited medical care. Eating and drinking become challenging because their mouths are always open and the teeth exposed. On an emotional level, these women feel inadequate until they have a large plate in their lips in order to receive a large dowry and be wed. At the same time, they will be outcast by other tribes, and have to endure a great deal of pain over the traditional

Introduction Foot binding commenced within the late Tang Dynasty (618-906) and vastly spread among the upper class of the Song Dynasty (960-1297), and soon diffused to the lower social classes in China. During the Song era, Neo- Confucianism arose among the revivals of Confucianism—founded by Zhu Xi—consisting of a combination of Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism. Neo-Confucian thinkers emphasized that human morality can be attained though knowledge. They also firmly believed in a sense of ethnocentricity and were increasingly hostile to foreign ideas and influences. Rankings, hierarchy, traditional rituals, and obligations reinforced social hierarchy, approaching a more patriarchal society (Stearns et al. 273).

The classical civilizations of China and India were two of the most important and extant civilizations with major political development. The advanced technology like the ox-drawn plows, paper, silk roads, etc shaped China’s development. India was manifested by artistry, trade, and exceptional advances in mathematics. There were three main dynasties in classical China known as the Zhou, Qin, and Han Dynasty while India was founded by three empires: the Mauryan, Kushan, and Gupta empires. Even though these civilizations evolved around the same time, there are crucial differences and similarities. Religion, beliefs, hierarchical and patriarchal systems, and government reveal the distinction between the two civilizations.

Many years ago the sign of feminine beauty was small feet. To accomplish this goal many women would bind their feet. Foot binding is an extremely excruciating custom from Asia and went from 970 AD to the 1950’s. For 1,000 years foot binding was considered the standard of feminine beauty.

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

How was the ancient civilization of China developed. In this essay I will be discussing what physical features, inventions, trade helped the development of Ancient China. I will also be discussing how they ran their government, what food they farmed, and what their society was like.

Foot binding has been illegal in china for a century. But a number of older women, who, continued the traditional custom in secret, are now featuring in a new photography series that aims to bust myth about bound feet.

Foot binding is “the custom of applying painfully tight binding to the feet of young girls to prevent further growth.” This harsh practice belonged to the unique Chinese culture. Foot binding originated with upper-class dancers and then spread to the Song Dynasty. In the 12th century, foot binding became more and more popular amongst Chinese women. From there, it eventually spread to many other dynasties and classes. By the mid-17th century, every girl who married had bound feet. The foot binding practice lasted roughly until the 20th century (“Foot Binding”). Although it is a sign of beauty and worth, foot binding is an act of abuse towards Chinese females because society pressures them to do so.

Around 100 C.E. paper was invented by chinese craftsmen. Prior to this, the chinese people wrote on either silk or bamboo. Because of this, writing about religion and and nature increased heavily. Moreover, poetry started becoming more dominant in the works of the chinese as it allowed them to express how they felt and it helped them feel complete with nature. Because of literature, the spreading of religion and communication became much easier to access since paper was a lot cheaper than the previously used material, silk.

Extensively referenced by Jeffreys, Wang Ping writes in her book, Aching for Beauty: Footbinding in China, that “Binding their feet, women turned their bodies into an artifice, art, poetry, writing, culture. Through pain and mutilation, they became the codes of beauty, femininity, and eroticism.” (Ping 226). Not surprisingly, the similarities between bound feet and modern high heeled shoes are addressed by all three authors, who note that “Thus, with the help of high-heeled lotus shoes, what remains of the original foot becomes the extension of the erect leg. It is quite similar to the effect created by high-heeled shoes.” (Ping 9), and that the bound footed incorporated “…harmful beauty practices still in existence in the west such as women’s dancing en pointe in ballet, and the wearing of high heels.” (Jeffreys

This means they also do not get to chose how many things they get and at what age they want to start (Du Toit). One source states that “The neck rings are a form of branding” (“Neck Elongating”). For example, if men from another tribe were to try to capture any women from any tribes they would not pick the women with the rings because it was easy to see which tribe they were from. Lastly, the rings really start to affect the body at the age of twelve (“Neck Ring”). This is the age that the rings start to shift the bones in their body.

It is very, very wrong on how the villagers and the woman’s family in this story treated the pregnant women, even if she did get pregnant from a man that wasn’t her husband. The worst possible thing to happen to someone in the Chinese society is to be neglected by your family after your death. It would be awful if your only defining moment in the eyes of your family was an adulterous act that brought embarrassment to your family. The village people tearing her house apart, killing her livestock, and stealing her stuff was awful but what was worse was the punishment she suffered was the neglect of her family. The ancient Chinese culture was very harsh on its women; I do not like how a culture in any period in history could treat women that way, as servants or as second

Those traditions have passed on to my family and society. According to Jandt (2003), Confucian philosophy, which believes in harmony in society through respect to age and social hierarchy, affects Chinese strongly. Confucianism has various effects on Chinese communication. As a Chinese, we value ‘Filial Piety’ and belong to collectivism. I may not say what I really want to mean when I think it would hurt others. Foreigners such as Americans may feel surprised that HongKongers pay attention to family so much. If Americans are asked to take a ‘gap-year’ in which be travelling around and their parents disagree, most of them won’t cancel the trip. For me, I would give up the trip honestly and this may be a main difference between our values towards family. I like the culture I grew up in and the tradition my family has. Respecting elders is what should be appreciated. I would like my generation to keep the culture too; however, we can learn the advantages of other cultures. Individualism allows us to fulfill obligations to self and to be independent. HongKongers can take balance between two cultures and get improvement for our own.