Notes on Chinese Foot-binding and Its Cultural Significance

Body Packaging and the Tradition of Chinese Foot-binding

  • Overview of Foot-binding

    • Cultural practice dating back to around the Shang dynasty (1700-1027 B.C.) and prevalent until the early 20th century.
    • Examined within the context of beauty, status, and patriarchal society.

  • Location of Historical Artifacts

    • Notable collections can be found at the Bata Shoe Museum in Chicago, which holds one of the world’s largest collections of shoes for bound feet, not housed in major museums like the Field Museum.

The Role of Beauty in Chinese Foot-binding

  • Suffering for Beauty

    • The practice involved significant pain, described through anecdotes such as those of Wang Lifen, who mentions enduring pain long after her feet were bound.
    • High-heeled shoes from Italy (1700-1720) are compared to bound feet as both signify societal beauty standards.

  • Cultural Symbolism

    • The "golden lotus" refers to feet bound to 3 inches, seen as a beauty standard among Han Chinese women.
    • Foot-binding became a symbol of femininity, status, and attraction in marriage markets.

Historical Context of Foot-binding

  • Ethnic and Political Context

    • Han Chinese women practiced foot-binding, particularly during the last dynasty, Qing (1644-1911).
    • The Manchus, another ethnic group, banned the practice in the early 20th century, leading to a gradual decline.

  • Transitioning Views

    • While initially a symbol of beauty, foot-binding faced backlash as society evolved toward industrial modernity, leading to the practice going “underground.”
    • The first official ban on foot-binding came in 1912.

Impact of Foot-binding on Society

  • Social Structure

    • Foot-binding was often equated with a woman's virtue and family honor, leading to a societal hierarchy tied to physical appearance.
    • Marriage prospects were significantly affected by foot size, focusing on how small feet were valued over beauty in the traditional sense.

  • Psychological Effects

    • Women internalized the pain, leading to suicides and emotional distress.
    • The stigma surrounding natural feet versus bound feet was a significant factor in social dynamics.

The Act of Binding - Ritualistic Approach

  • Foot-binding Process

    • Girls aged 3-11 would undergo binding every two weeks, with shoes increasingly smaller to train the feet.
    • Rituals involved soaking the feet in herbal mixtures, massaging them to break toes, and folding them under the sole.

  • Pain as a Culture of Beauty

    • Pain was a recurring theme, described metaphorically and literally; many women experienced long-term effects such as osteoporosis and fractures.

Resistance Movements and Social Changes

  • Public Sentiment against Foot-binding

    • Movements began in the late 19th century advocating against the practice, equating it to child abuse and advocating for the idea of natural feet.
    • The "Letting the Feet Out Society" emerged in 1928 to promote loosening shoes and celebrating natural feet.

  • Legislation and Social Reform

    • By 1916, authoritative regulations sought to criminalize foot-binding, reshaping views on beauty standards for women.

Conclusion: Reflections on Foot-binding

  • Cultural Significance

    • Foot-binding serves as a lens through which to analyze gender dynamics, cultural practices, and the evolution of beauty standards over time.
    • The practice reveals the intersection of ethnicity, societal expectations, and personal identity in Chinese history.

  • Contemporary Implications

    • Modern discussions about foot-binding reflect ongoing dialogues about women's rights, beauty myths, and the societal pressures surrounding female bodies.