This picture rips at my heart, this little angel has such sadness in
her eyes...
Do you see beauty?
I recently just finished reading "Snowflower and the Secret Fan" , it was set in the nineteenth century China in Hunan province. It is about the friendship between two young girls, an emotional match that lasts a lifetime. I will not give any details of the story away, it is a must read, so I 'll leave you discover it on your own.There is some details of the ancient practice of foot binding. Having a wife with bound feet was a status symbol for men(and it was very sexually arousing) and consequently having bound feet increased a woman's chances of marriage into a wealthy household. Feet were usually bound around the age of six and the binding was done by the child's mother. The child's bones were softened by eating red bean dumplings, celebrations began, women meeting in the upper chambers to wish the child good luck, singing, stories and eating of many sweets.
The feet were first washed and rubbed with alum to contract the tissues and limit the secretions of blood and pus. Next would be the trimming of the toenails past the quick so they would not grown in to the tissues or break the skin to risk infection. During this time the bandages were being soaked so when they dried they would constrict, one bandage would be placed on the child's instep and wrapped on the four toes to begin the rolling of the toes to break them and pull them into the heel. All this time as this process was taking place the child was forced to walk on their feet to aid in the breaking of the bones. The ultimate goal was to to get the toes and the heel to meet creating the cleft which was the big toe that eventually the child's walked on.
The size to be achieved was 7cm, about the length of the average thumb!!!!! The shape was to be like the bud of the locust flower, a perfect point at the front and a full heel.
The poorest of girls do not have their feet bound and are destined to be sold as servants to work alongside of their husbands in the fields. Binding ensured marriage into a wealthier family with servants, standing in the community and the thought that this would bring a son the ultimate goal for a woman.
Now, my question to you, in the nineteenth century as a mother would you have bound your daughter's feet, knowing the outcome our her futures?
