The Painful Beauty Standard of China

The Abusive History of Foot Binding that Lasted a Millennium

The Last Woman in China to Practice Foot Binding (Smithsonian Magazine)

“The Lotus Feet”

For almost a millennium, the single fundamental element of Chinese beauty standards remained the same; small, perfect arching feet with toes curling inward. These feet were seen as the ultimate beauty symbol to the Chinese as they were said to resemble a lotus flower. What started as a desire for small feet evolved into a millennium of cultural and societal oppression for the women of China. This is the history behind foot binding.

History of Foot Binding

Foot binding was first popularized during the 10th century Song Dynasty, by concubines who danced with small and narrow-ended shoes that bought the favor of the emperor. To fit into small shoes, the concubines would bind their feet to make their feet as small as possible. This practice spread to the public like a wild fire; foot binding was first mimicked by upper class mistresses, which gave the public the impression that small feet were a status symbol for the upper class.

By the 12th century, foot binding was so prevalent that it was seen as an essential for women to get married. What started as a trend for the upper class was quickly mimicked by the rest of the public. It was to the point where a woman with bigger feet were seen as poor and savage. The ideal feet size of women decreased over time and by Ming dynasty, it was the norm for women to have feet not exceeding 10 centimetres (4 inches).

Foot binding was also largely endorsed and encouraged by poets and popular writers throughout the millennium. Zhu Xi, philosopher and writer during the Song Dynasty wrote:

“Men are Yang and women are Yin; true women are petite, tender, and vulnerable, even her feet…”

The ideology of Zhu Xi was popular among scholars of the upper class in Song, massively contributing to the normalization of foot binding.

The Process of Foot Binding

Foot binding would usually start when the girl is 4–5 years old and it takes a few years for the feet to start arching and curling inwards.