Feet binding in China

Imagine massaging your 3-year-old daughter’s feet, then you grab her little toes and curl them under her foot, then you press with excessive force downward and squeeze them into the sole of the foot until her toes break. There is one country where this was practised — China; this practice was called foot binding or lotus feet. Curl: to curve Excessive:extreme, more than necessary. Squeeze:to firmly press, fold Sole of the foot: the underface of the foot 👣 Lotus:a flower

A small foot in China was no different from a tiny waist in Victorian England, representing the height of female refinement. For marriageable daughters, foot size translated into its own form of currency and a means of achieving upward mobility. The most desirable bride possessed a three-inch foot, known as a “golden lotus.”It was respectable to have four-inch feet — a silver lotus — but five inches or longer was dismissed as iron lotuses. The marriage prospects for such a girl were dim indeed. Refinement: purification, cleansing Mobility: strength Dismissed: sent away Prospect: possiblity or chances for near future.

The practice usually started before the arch of the foot had a chance to develop fully, typically between the ages of 4 and 9, although some were as young as 3. Four to six was the ideal age, as you could reason with the girls and help them deal with the pain.Mothers, grandmothers, or older female relatives were usually the first to bind the girl’s feet. The process usually started during the winter months hoping the feet would be numb, and therefore the pain would not be as extreme. Bind: tie, fasten Numb: senseless

Foot binding would normally occur in a ritualistic ceremony accompanied by other traditions intending to ward off bad luck. First, each foot would be soaked in a warm mixture of herbs and animal blood; this was intended to soften the foot and aid the binding. Then, the toenails were cut back as far as possible to prevent ingrown nails and subsequent infections.Then, all the toes, except the big toes, were broken and held tightly against the sole of the foot while the arch was strained as the foot was bent double until it was forcibly broken making a triangle shape.Immediately after this agonizing procedure, the feet were bound in place using cotton or silk bandages.The bindings were loosened and re-tightened thereafter once each month until the girl reached her early teens Ritualistic: done through a religious or traditional ceremony Herbs: plants, leaves, seeds, or flowers that are used for flavouring or as medicine. Subsequent: the following, what to come Ingrown: to grow in the opposite direction (to grow into your skin) Strained:to be forced Agonising: suffering extreme pain Procedure: method, way, mechanism

In the 19th century, toward the end of the Qing Dynasty, Western countries had effectively colonized China With so many Western women entering the country, They became strong advocates against the practice, producing pamphlets and even opening shelters in support of afflicted women.Although critics campaigned against the practice in support of women, an unexpected side effect occurred; those who had their feet bound to become more desirable now found themselves being abandoned by their husbands, as it was no longer fashionable. In the larger cities, people who found women with bound feet would cut off their bindings. This would humiliate the woman as she would have never shown her bare feet to anyone — not even her husband would have seen her feet.Despite the pains and consequences, foot-binding remained a common practice in China into the early 20th century. By the 21st century, only a few elderly women remained with bound feet. For these women, the process that began with a lot of pain and tears would likewise have ended with pain and tears. Dynasty: bloodline, family of rulers Colonized:a process for a country to be under another country political control Advocates: supporters, promoters Pamphlets: brochures, leaflets, booklets Shelters: a place for protection Afflicted: bothered, burdened, troubled, distressed Critics: attackers, people against something Campaigned: Battles, fought, promoted Abandoned:left behind Fashionable: popular, stylish, modish, trendy, chic Humiliate: shame, embarrass Despite: regardless Consequences: results