The painful practice of foot binding had complex social and economic roots in China. | Archaeology and Lost Civilizations

Chinese foot binding was a historical practice, originating during the Song Dynasty and lasting nearly a thousand years, where young girls’ feet were tightly bound to achieve a small, deformed shape known as “lotus feet,” which symbolized beauty, femininity, and high social status. Though initially practiced by the elite, it spread across social classes as a way to enhance marriage prospects. The process was extremely painful, causing lifelong disabilities and difficulty in walking. Foot binding

Foot binding, a practice that originated in China over a thousand years ago, was deeply rooted in cultural and aesthetic values and seen as an expression of beauty, status, and power. This process, carried out by a mother or grandmother, began when girls were very young, around 4 to 9 years old. It involved tightly binding the feet with bandages about 10 feet long, which gradually broke the arch and toes to create a smaller, more desirable foot shape known as “lotus feet.” It is believed that th