Lesson 2 - The Process of Foot Binding and Source Work
Lesson 1 - Introduction to foot binding
To know - Foot Binding
To be able to - describe the practice of foot binding
task 1 - overview of foot binding
Foot binding is an ancient Chinese custom of wrapping women's feet with cloth in order to stop them from growing with age.
Foot binding began during the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) and became widely popular during the Song Dyansty (960–1279 CE). Girls in the high court began to have their feet bound to show that they did not do much manual labour. It was believe women with bound feet were of higher class and were more appleaing to marry.
Foot binding usually tried to make the feet about 3 inches (7.6 cm) long.
Girls would have their feet wrapped tightly in linen every day. This was so that the feet would grow into a certain shape their their size would be reduced.
What happened to foot binding?
Eventually every class of girl was binding their feet in hope to move to the upper class.
Women who had their feet bound would usually be impaired, or damaged, for the rest of their lives.
Foot Binding was eventually banned during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 CE) and became illegal.
Foot binding today
You can still find elderly Chinese women today that have their feet bound.