投稿類別:英文寫作類
篇名：
Foot Binding Bondage of Ancient Chinese Women in the Feudal Society
作者：
鍾荊麗。天主教嘉義市立仁高級中學。綜二丁
郭柏慶。天主教嘉義市立仁高級中學。綜二丁
指導老師：
廖素惠老師
Foot Binding - Bondage of Ancient Chinese Women in the Feudal Society
I. Introduction
My homeroom teacher’s great grandmother was dead last month at the age of more than one
hundred. After the funeral, he helped his mom arrange her possessions. One of the pictures
reminded him of the day he first visited her. He said that when he was five years old, his mom took
him back to her parents’ house to celebrate her grandmother’s birthday. That was the first time for
my homeroom teacher to see his great grandmother walking with magnificent gaits towards the
guests. When she came closer, what shocked him was her feet in her delicate tiny shoes, they
looked so small and weird. At that moment, he had no idea why the appearance of her feet was so
incredible. From then on, we became a little interested in foot binding.
Foot binding really caused our curiosity due to the drama-The Legend of Wu-Song, my class played
last semester. Before the performance, our English teacher described the plot of this drama and told
us something about the women in the feudal society:
In ancient times, Chinese girls born in rich families should bind their feet to show their families’
high statuses. When they were three or four years old, their parents would make the maids to bind
their feet with a long piece of cloth and then sewn it. After binding feet, all of the knives and
scissors were hidden in case that those poor little girls would try to use them to cut the cloth off. For
a long time, they couldn’t wash their feet every day even the weather was hot because the cloth was
not allowed to be unwrapped. The bound feet were so painful that foot-bound girls couldn’t walk
and sleep. All they could do was cry, cry, and cry! Finally, the bones of their feet couldn’t grow
naturally (P1-2), and the shape of their feet looked so strange like horses’ hooves (P3). It was
actually a terrible torture.
After hearing the history of foot binding, out of our curiosity, we surfed the Internet to search for
the information about it. With the more information we got, we became more surprised and
shocked.
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Foot Binding - Bondage of Ancient Chinese Women in the Feudal Society
By reading the information we collected, we eventually realized why binding feet was so popular
that women were willing to endure the torture and how those little girls spent the terrible time
helplessly.
Pic.1
Pic.2
Pic.3
Note: Pic1- from http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/File:ChineseLadieFoot.gif
Note: Pic2-3 from http://vikyzhu2002.blog.163.com/blog/static/1618398662010612113331626/
II. Thesis
1. The origins of foot binding
1.1 Yu’s wife
Once upon a time, there was a man called Yu, who was good at solving flood problem, his wife’s
feet were tiny for it was said that she actually was a fairy fox.
1.2 Ta-chi (concubine of Chou- the last emperor of Ying Dynasty)
People said she was also a fairy fox, she used her limited magic to change herself into a woman
except her feet. Therefore she wrapped her feet with a long piece of cloth to escape people’s
attention. Chou thought it was very attractive and he ordered that all the women in the palace do the
same way.
1.3 Emperor Yang
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Foot Binding - Bondage of Ancient Chinese Women in the Feudal Society
When Emperor Yang selected beautiful girls to be his spouses on the way to his annual inspection
tour, one girl called Yue-niang Wu, who could not endure the emperor’s tyrannical rules, begged
her father to give her a knife with a lotus pattern on it. She wrapped her feet to become smaller with
a long piece of cloth and then hid the knife under one of her feet. What’s more, with a view to
catching Emperor Yang’s attention to achieve her assassination, she carved lotus patterns on the
sole of the shoes so that the patterns would appear on the ground when she was walking. Although
Yue-niang’s attempt failed, foot binding became popular from then on.
1.4 Yao-niang-a concubine of Li-yu (the last monarch of Nan Tang Dynasty)
She danced gracefully with feet wrapped in a long piece of cloth and it pleased the monarch very
much. The other concubines were afraid that Yao-niang would draw too much Li-yu’s attention and
won Li-yu’s favor, so that the women in the palace became crazy about foot binding.
2. Factors of foot binding
2.1 Social status of women in ancient China
Foot binding reflected women’s life style of thousand years ago. It was also a symbol of wealth,
power, dignity and authority. Girls born in rich families should bind their feet to present their high
social statuses. Tiny feet stood for reputation and privilege of their families. The ideal length was
about 7 cm (3 inches) long, which was called “Golden Lotus”. Families having daughters regarded
foot binding as a top priority for it ensured girls, including those not coming from good upbringing
families, to marry into wealthy and influential families and have access to reach the higher class as
well. According to the custom, the richer a woman was, the smaller feet she should have. People
believed that the smaller feet a woman had, the more favor they might get from her family and her
husband’s.
2.2 Ethic regulation
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Foot Binding - Bondage of Ancient Chinese Women in the Feudal Society
Traditional Chinese society was man-dominated. People thought of foot binding as the symbol of
being good daughters and good wives. Foot binding made women modest, gentle, home-loving and
kept them away from the outer world. It was a perfect way for men to prevent women from
escaping or having love affairs.
2.3 Aestheticism
Based on ancient Chinese tradition, tiny mouths, tiny faces, slender waists, including tiny feet, were
the features of pretty women. In old times, the standard of beauty demanded women to be thin and
have fine figures. Beauty is women’s possession. People at that time considered foot binding to be
an essential part for women. In addition, literati continually supported, admired the beauty of foot
binding, some crazy men even associated tiny feet with sex. That’s why foot-bound women would
rather sacrifice their health and inconvenience of walking for the praise and admiration.
3. Foot binding
3.1 Accessories of foot binding
Foot binding cloth (裹腳布) (P3.1-1): It is used to wind girls’ feet to protect the soles of the feet in
the beginning and make sure that the size of feet will become as perfect as expected. The length of
binding cloth is from 150 cm to 300 cm; the perfect length depends on if it can wind a foot for from
5 to 7 layers.
A piece of cloth which foot-bound women used for wrapping their legs(腿帶)(P3.1-2): It is similar
to ankle socks used nowadays. Foot-bound women used it to cover foot binding cloth to make their
feet more attractive. The width is in accordance with the size of the feet and usually about 10 cm.
Ankle socks for binding feet(金蓮小襪) (P3.1-3): After bandaging the feet with long strips of cloth,
women wear ankle socks to keep the cloth from loosening.
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Foot Binding - Bondage of Ancient Chinese Women in the Feudal Society
P3.1-1
P3.1-2
P3.1-3
Note: Pic.3.1-1~Pic.3.1-3 – from http://www.footbinding.com.tw/site2/0100/0104.html
藕覆(P3.1-4): It looks like a tube and is used to cover ankles to protect them from getting hurt.
They are embroidered with multicolored strings to attract people’s attention.
Heels and Soles (鞋墊)(P3.1-5): They are always made of wood and placed inside the heel of shoes.
The forepart is thinner than the back one. The soles of wooden shoes are difficult for women to
make by themselves, so foot-bound women usually need carpenters’ help.
Chairs for binding feet(纏足椅) (P3.1-6): There are two different kinds of chairs. One is higher so
that women may put their feet on it when binding feet. The other is shorter than the common chairs
people used. It usually has drawers to put socks, binding cloth, sewing kit and alum powder.
Urinal for the foot-bound girls (纏足便器) (P3.1-7): During the first one or two years of foot
binding, The pain stopped little girls from walking, all they could do was lie in or sit on the bed and
therefore people designed a toy-tumbler-shaped urinal for girls to use on the bed instead.
Lotus-shaped basin (蓮花盆)(P3.1-8) : A basin used by foot-bound women to rinse their feet.
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Foot Binding - Bondage of Ancient Chinese Women in the Feudal Society
P3.1-4
P3.1-5
P3.1-6
P3.1-7
P3.1-8
Note: Pic.3.1-4~Pic.3.1-8 – from http://www.footbinding.com.tw/site2/0100/0104.html
3.2 Process of foot binding (P3.2-1)
For the purpose of meeting the standards of tiny feet-thin, small (P3.2-2), sharp (P3.2-3), bent
(P3.2-4), soft, proper appearance, foot binding was traditionally started at the ages of from two to
five. It was usually done by maidservants in autumn or winter (cool and cold season may reduce the
pain). The binding cloth was only removed at times for girls to wash their feet. After that,
foot-bound girls applied alum powder to the feet. It was usually reapplied tightly in no time
afterwards.
The first day of foot binding, girls put their feet into warm water in advance, then the maidservants
put alum on the feet in case of infection. The maidservants slightly pressed girls’ toes (except the
first one) and gently squeezed them into the sole of the foot the first time. Three days later, girls’
feet were unwound to rinse. From then on, more force would be essential after each time of
rewinding and disinfection. All the procedures would be repeated for two months- a period what
was called “試纏”.
The following two months was what we called “試緊”. Maidservants started pressing girls’ toes
with great force, at the same time, they again squeezed the toes (except the first one) into the sole of
the foot tightly to make sure it would be bent as bow-like as possible. Every time when the feet rewound after rinsing, they were forcibly bent over and again tightly wound with binding cloth. Much
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Foot Binding - Bondage of Ancient Chinese Women in the Feudal Society
force would be used to make the feet become thin, small, sharp, bent, soft, proper appearance.
During this period of foot binding, feet were wound with a piece of cloth which was five cm. in
width and from 150 cm to 300 cm in length. Except for the first toe, the others were bent backwards
cruelly and forcibly. The long piece of cloth would wind along with the heels more tightly than ever
so that toes and arches might squeeze together. The rest of cloth wound the feet for from five to
seven layers.
During the procedures, girls were forced to walk with the deformed and painful feet in order to be
accustomed to the way of swaying and maintain proper movement and balance. Every two weeks,
foot-bound girls put on new shoes which were shorter for 0.25 cm in length than the prior ones until
the tiptoes touched the heels and the arches twisted as a bow. The foot would at last become a
perfect U in shape like horses’ hooves (P3.2-5), the size of bound feet finally would be one third of
normal one.
P3.2-1
P3.2-2
P3.2-3
P3.2-4
P3.2-5
Note: Pic.3.2-1– from http://bbs.10jqka.com.cn/ths,5124,74954,1
Note: Pic.3.2-2– from http://pyz4376.blog.163.com/blog/static/1244729052011511920204/
Note:Pic.3.2-3–from http://vikyzhu2002.blog.163.com/blog/static/1618398662010612113331626/
Note: Pic.3.2-4– from http://big5.china.com.cn/culture/txt/2007-08/09/content_8655803.htm
Note: Pic.3.2-5– from http://blog.boxun.com/hero/201006/manchu87/2_1.shtml
3.3 Care of bound feet
Foot-bound women thought of cleaning feet as an important and private matter. They rinsed their
feet in their rooms with a view to privacy. When rinsing feet, they sat on a binding chair with a
drawer putting rubbing stone, dry cloth, scissors, alum powder, binding cloth, and loose powder.
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Foot Binding - Bondage of Ancient Chinese Women in the Feudal Society
Binding cloth should be removed slightly and slowly before washing feet. That was because the
blood would go quickly towards the feet once the binding cloth was taken off. Sometimes
foot-bound women washed their feet without removing the binding cloth for fear that the loosened
feet would become bigger.
Water in lotus-shaped basin should be warm enough to promote blood circulation and soften the
feet. What’s more, to reduce the smell of the feet having been wrapped for a long time, fragrant
flowers and herbs would be added into the water. Foot-bound women made efforts to separate the
toes which had stuck together, and afterwards they rubbed the hard skin off from the toes; finally,
they trimmed long toenails and corns.
After finishing foot washing, foot-bound women powdered their feet with fragrant powder in the
gaps among the toes to improve the smell. Again, they repeated the steps of binding. It would take
one or two hours to accomplish the tough task.
III. Conclusion
Foot binding is a custom having lasted for more than one thousand years. It had a great influence on
ancient Chinese women. People, even in modern society, believe it stood for not only the social
status of women in ancient China, but the ethic regulation and aestheticism. The trauma it caused to
Chinese women in ancient time was beyond description. The torture enforced on ancient Chinese
women was simply to fulfill a ridiculous purpose - to “create” or to “produce” a perfect “golden
lotus”!
China used to be a patriarchy society, men dominated the families as well, foot binding once was a
product of patriarchies. Women were not allowed to work outside, they could only depend on their
parents and husbands in their daily lives. A husband, especially a successful one, was allowed to
have one wife and many concubines. As a result, women bound their feet to ascend their positions
to win their husbands’ favors.
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Foot Binding - Bondage of Ancient Chinese Women in the Feudal Society
Although foot binding is so cruel, painful and unfair to ancient Chinese women, it is not the most
inhuman in comparison with wearing corsets(P4), piercing and tattooing on bodies (P5-6),
removing fat, lengthening necks (P7), having plastic operations even wearing high-heeled shoes.
P4
P5
P6
P7
Note:Pic.4–from http://juzhuzhutigongyuannc.soufun.com/bbs/2310090154~-1~21/8888314_8888314.htm
Note: Pic.5-7– from 陳信宏(譯) (2005)。裸女：女體的美麗與哀愁。臺北市：麥田出版社。
There are various thoughts of what beauty is, but one thing we can be sure and it seems
self-contradictory that uncountable people, especially women, may extremely put up with various
ruthless tortures to achieve what is called beauty.
An old Chinese proverb says: “Women do the best to please who they beloved.” But, actually the
real intention women want is enhance their confidence by doing so.
In our opinions, it is all one to us whether beauty is based on which viewpoint, ancient Chinese
women and modern ones are a world of difference. Today, we live in a democratic society, women
are definitely not afraid that foot binding will make a comeback.
.
IV. Reference
1. 網站
1.1 維基百科，自由的百科全書。Retrieved July 22, 2012,
from http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/File:ChineseLadieFoot.gif。
1.2 讓生命在堅强中永生。Retrieved July 22, 2012,
from http://vikyzhu2002.blog.163.com/blog/static/1618398662010612113331626/。
1.3 三寸金蓮。Retrieved July 29, 2012,
from http://www.footbinding.com.tw/。
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Foot Binding - Bondage of Ancient Chinese Women in the Feudal Society
1.4 光明網。Retrieved August 17, 2012,
from http://bbs.10jqka.com.cn/ths,5124,74954,1。
1.5 老猫俠的博客。Retrieved August 17, 2012,
from http://pyz4376.blog.163.com/blog/static/1244729052011511920204/。
1.6 中國網。Retrieved August 17, 2012,
from http://big5.china.com.cn/culture/txt/2007-08/09/content_8655803.htm。
1.7 博訊文壇。Retrieved August 17, 2012,
from http://blog.boxun.com/hero/201006/manchu87/2_1.shtml。
1.8 Sou Fun。Retrieved August 17, 2012,
from http://juzhuzhutigongyuannc.soufun.com/bbs/2310090154~-1~21/8888314_8888314.htm。
1.9 三寸金蓮。Retrieved August 18, 2012,
from http://www.footbinding.com.tw/site2/0500/0502.html。
1.10 三寸金蓮。Retrieved July17, 2012,
from http://www.footbinding.com.tw/site2/0500/0505.html。
1.11 三寸金蓮。Retrieved July17, 2012,
from http://www.footbinding.com.tw/site2/0600/0602.html。
1.12 大眾網。Retrieved July29, 2012,
from http://tw.knowledge.yahoo.com/question/question?qid=1005010904104。
2. 書籍
高洪興 (2004)。纏足史。臺北市：華成圖書。
張
仲 (1995)。小腳與辮子。臺北市：幼獅。
劉達臨 (1995)。中國古代性文化。三重市：新雨。
高世瑜 (1998)。中國古代婦女生活。臺北市：臺灣商務。
陳信宏(譯) (2005)。裸女：女體的美麗與哀愁。臺北市：麥田出版社。
苗延威 (譯) (2007)。纏足：「金蓮崇拜」盛極而衰的演變。臺北縣新店市：左岸文化。
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