Footbinding is the process of wrapping bandages around a young girl’s feet to prohibit its natural growth. The achieved formation would break the arch and bend the toes underneath the sole of the foot. Long bandages would then be wrapped around to keep the toes in place. Binding typically began at ages four or six, but it would sometimes occur as late as age twelve. Sides effects of this unnatural process included gangrene and paralysis; it also limited mobility.

Based off the ideal of the dainty feet of dancers, this morbid beauty standard originated in China during the 10^th century until being banned in 1949. While binding’s primary purpose was strictly aesthetic, it evolved into a mark of prestige and class status. Throughout the Ming (1368- 1644) and Qing (1644-1912) dynasties, bound feet were believed to be essential for a good marriage as they signified fertility and obedience.

As the custom became a societal norm, the motivation behind binding shifted yet again. Women without bound feet were seen as ill-bred and difficult. Despite the painful and self-detrimental process, women continued to bind their feet to avoid societal scorn. Around the turn the end of the 19^th century, China fell under the influence of Western cultures. Foot binding was seen as cruel and oppressive from this outside perspective—especially in the view of Western women. Thus began a movement against the tradition which quickly fell out of fashion. The end of the Qing dynasty accompanied the end of foot binding. Florence Nightingale mentions this process in her essay “Cassandra” as an example of socially constructed restrictions placed on women.

Additional Readings:

Schiavenza, Matt. “The Peculiar History of Foot Binding in China.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media Company, 17, Sept. 2013.

 Shepherd, John. Footbinding As Fashion: Ethnicity, Labor, and Status in Traditional China. University of Washington Press, 2018.

 Tiffany Marie Smith. “Footbinding.” Encyclopædia Britannica Online, Encyclopædia Britannica Inc, 2020.