By: ELIZA ETHERIDGE, KRISTEN MAUER, AND Gabby govert Foot binding By: ELIZA ETHERIDGE, KRISTEN MAUER, AND Gabby govert

The Start of Foot Binding It began in the late stages of the Tang dynasty. It spread fast through the majority of the Chinese population. During the reign of Li Yu, one of his concubines . bound her feet to suggest the shape of a new moon and performed a "lotus dance." The practice became popular with the elite people of China. Peasant women saw this as their passport into a wealthy society. 40- 50% of Chinese women bound their feet in the 19th century.

The Process of Foot Binding Anywhere from two to give years of age, mothers would begin binding their daughters feet. Their feet would soak in herbs or sometimes animal blood. Next the toes would be broken, by being bent under the foot and then the mothers would break the arch. After that a ten foot long and two inches wide bandage was wrapped tightly around the foot to form a triangular shape. The feet would become shorter because the big toe and the heel were forced together. Every day mothers would tighten the bandages. After two years the feet would have been at the ideal three to four inches long.

The Banning of Foot Binding Foot binding was banned in during the 1911 Revolution of Sun Yat Sen. The Manchus tried to ban foot binding by calling it inhumane. They managed to ban Manchu women from foot binding, but not the whole practice. In the 20th century there was anti-footbinding movements that took place in China. Foot binding was officially banned forever with the establishment of the new Republic of China in 1911.

Painful Memories Wang Lifen Zhou Guizhen Started at 7 years old Mom started her on foot binding Man she was to marry wanted small feet so she foot binded to shrink the size of her foot After her mom’s death she continued it. Went through a lot of pain At 79, she doesn’t remember any pain. Fooled inspectors into thinking they had big feet Earlier bound feet she saw as mark of class She regrets binding her feet If she didn’t do it she wouldn’t get married Wrapped their feet in 10 foot bandages

Consequences of Foot Binding Not able to dance Difficulty walking Severe deformities Less able to squat Easier to fall down Less able to rise from a chair All problems continue today

After the Ban of Foot Binding Kept up the tradition by secret for years Banned in other countries No longer practiced today Effects can still be noticed today Limited them to what work they could do Faced many consequences of continuing foot binding after the ban