Warm-up Dec. 21 What countries surround China? How many died building the Great Wall of China? What is the largest mountain in China? Why do you think people alter their bodies in order to fit into society???

Chinese Foot Binding

Background Foot binding began at about age 4 to 7 on young Chinese girls. The foot was soaked in hot water and massaged then it was wrapped in a way in which the child's toes were turned under and pressed against the bottom of her foot. Her largest toe was left unturned in order to give the girl a sense of balance. The child's arches of her foot were broken as the foot was pulled straight with the leg. This caused the foot to actually shrink

Why Foot Binding? One theory is that women who had their feet bound were less independent and more able to be controlled. In Chinese society it was said that women are ruled by their fathers, then their husbands and finally, by their sons. This was a way to ensure that women did not travel away from that control because literally the pain was too great Another theory is the smaller the feet the more desirable she would be to marry…

A Bound Foot The ultimate foot was to be between three and four inches (about 10 cm) long. Because foot binding made it virtually impossible for women to get around on their own, many peasant women did not bind their feet. They had to work in the rice fields, and later the tea factories, so they had to be able to use their feet.                                                             

Fact Foot binding was seen as a sign of beauty and attractiveness. Once a girl was of marriageable age, mother-in-laws would pick a wife for her son based on the appearance of the girl's feet.                                                             

A Chinese Girl with Bound Feet                                              A Chinese Girl with Bound Feet