Last week, I promised Mrs. Yap to write a blog about foot-binding, and I think it’s necessary to keep my words.
When it comes to this unique corrupt custom of old China--- foot-binding, I must confess that I witnessed a genuine person who really had bound feet. That was my grand grandmother who passed away when I was 7 years old. Even though, I can recall many details when we got along well with each other despite we were separated by two generations.
In retrospect, I remember clearly that my amiable grand grandmother would do the two traditional and compulsory “homework” everyday of her life--- to bind her feet every morning by two strips of black cloth instead of wearing stockings and undo the task before went to bed at night. Every time she had to bind her feet tightly and the binding cloth matched her ancient black clothes well. After unfolding her multifold foot pack, I could see her usual wrinkled small feet that carried her hardly. As she washed the pieces of binding cloth and hung them up, I always asked her why she had a pair of strangely small feet and why my grandmother didn’t have. “Although we are both women, she just came across a good era that I missed” was the common answer I could get from her.
I was also told never to touch or play with the old possessions of my grand grandmother including that special cloth. As my grand grandmother passed away, all belongings went with her. Since then, I got to know that, all my family members including my grand grandmother just wanted to get rid of this old corrupt custom forever. When my grandmother was young, her parents would not let her to bind feet any more. One reason was that the new era came along with new conceptions. Another one was, this old custom was undeniably harmful for women.
Foot-binding, is a symbol of trammel and constriction on women. The original custom of foot-binding had roots in the opinions of emperors towards beauty. The exact beginning time is a problem discussed since decades ago and there is still no fixed answer. It is said that in Tang dynasty, a maid in an imperial palace who also had bound feet could dance on a three-cun golden lotus. Since then, the beauty of small feet spread among the people as a trend. In history, it was instinctive trait that women would sacrifice parts of their body to fit in the trend of beauty, so did old Chinese. For example, in 17th century, some Russian women chased for toe dance which showed another kind of beauty at cost of pain.
To sum up, this custom came from the pursuing of beauty. In old concepts, small feet made men feel pretty towards women thus influenced the gait of women in reverse. Women with bound feet walked sparingly and timidly were the right objectives for men to love tenderly. Hence, those women without bound feet would suffer discrimination and being spat. To be with small feet, women had to bind them. However, feet-binding was not simple---use a strip of cloth to pack foot up--- as it seemed. The beginning of foot-binding was an extreme suffering. The girls must bear the pain of crushing bones of feet to get a permanent shape. As a result, mothers, in the old time, reluctantly forced their daughters to bind feet just in order to help them marry a better husband even if the little girls cried and went off into a dead faint. At that time, foot-binding represented loyalty, filial piety, social responsibility and the sense of beauty.
Nowadays, women no longer bind feet at all. Instead, they follow the trend with toenails-varnished feet or high-heeled shoes. Actually, it’s another way to pursue the beautiful outward appearance by changing themselves. It’s obvious more healthy and human-oriented method to be modern, to attract others, to pursue perfection.
“Although we are both women, she just came across a good era that I missed”. Indeed, era never stop changing. I believe that my grand grandmother once was young and beautiful enough to attract my grand grandfather with her bound feet. Even though she changed her previous opinion towards what the beauty was and stop that old custom, we cannot be sure that the trend of beauty today in our sight is a perfect one that we must follow. Maybe decades later, when our grand grandson or grand granddaughter remembers us, they might be sorry about what we do today to pursue beauty and in sorrow about such a foot-binding story.
JUST REMENBERING MY GRAND GRANDMOTHER VIA THIS ARTICLE SINCERELY ---------TONG
When it comes to this unique corrupt custom of old China--- foot-binding, I must confess that I witnessed a genuine person who really had bound feet. That was my grand grandmother who passed away when I was 7 years old. Even though, I can recall many details when we got along well with each other despite we were separated by two generations.
In retrospect, I remember clearly that my amiable grand grandmother would do the two traditional and compulsory “homework” everyday of her life--- to bind her feet every morning by two strips of black cloth instead of wearing stockings and undo the task before went to bed at night. Every time she had to bind her feet tightly and the binding cloth matched her ancient black clothes well. After unfolding her multifold foot pack, I could see her usual wrinkled small feet that carried her hardly. As she washed the pieces of binding cloth and hung them up, I always asked her why she had a pair of strangely small feet and why my grandmother didn’t have. “Although we are both women, she just came across a good era that I missed” was the common answer I could get from her.
I was also told never to touch or play with the old possessions of my grand grandmother including that special cloth. As my grand grandmother passed away, all belongings went with her. Since then, I got to know that, all my family members including my grand grandmother just wanted to get rid of this old corrupt custom forever. When my grandmother was young, her parents would not let her to bind feet any more. One reason was that the new era came along with new conceptions. Another one was, this old custom was undeniably harmful for women.
Foot-binding, is a symbol of trammel and constriction on women. The original custom of foot-binding had roots in the opinions of emperors towards beauty. The exact beginning time is a problem discussed since decades ago and there is still no fixed answer. It is said that in Tang dynasty, a maid in an imperial palace who also had bound feet could dance on a three-cun golden lotus. Since then, the beauty of small feet spread among the people as a trend. In history, it was instinctive trait that women would sacrifice parts of their body to fit in the trend of beauty, so did old Chinese. For example, in 17th century, some Russian women chased for toe dance which showed another kind of beauty at cost of pain.
To sum up, this custom came from the pursuing of beauty. In old concepts, small feet made men feel pretty towards women thus influenced the gait of women in reverse. Women with bound feet walked sparingly and timidly were the right objectives for men to love tenderly. Hence, those women without bound feet would suffer discrimination and being spat. To be with small feet, women had to bind them. However, feet-binding was not simple---use a strip of cloth to pack foot up--- as it seemed. The beginning of foot-binding was an extreme suffering. The girls must bear the pain of crushing bones of feet to get a permanent shape. As a result, mothers, in the old time, reluctantly forced their daughters to bind feet just in order to help them marry a better husband even if the little girls cried and went off into a dead faint. At that time, foot-binding represented loyalty, filial piety, social responsibility and the sense of beauty.
Nowadays, women no longer bind feet at all. Instead, they follow the trend with toenails-varnished feet or high-heeled shoes. Actually, it’s another way to pursue the beautiful outward appearance by changing themselves. It’s obvious more healthy and human-oriented method to be modern, to attract others, to pursue perfection.
“Although we are both women, she just came across a good era that I missed”. Indeed, era never stop changing. I believe that my grand grandmother once was young and beautiful enough to attract my grand grandfather with her bound feet. Even though she changed her previous opinion towards what the beauty was and stop that old custom, we cannot be sure that the trend of beauty today in our sight is a perfect one that we must follow. Maybe decades later, when our grand grandson or grand granddaughter remembers us, they might be sorry about what we do today to pursue beauty and in sorrow about such a foot-binding story.
JUST REMENBERING MY GRAND GRANDMOTHER VIA THIS ARTICLE SINCERELY ---------TONG
You are so lucky to have memories of your grand grandmother. Actually I haven't seen binded feet in reality. What's more, you really have a good memory because you can memorize the things clearly when you were young.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother seems to have mentioned that her mother bound feet, too. I totally agree that people never stop the pursuit of beauty, though in different ways throughout history, and throughout the world. Some forms still exsist now, such as going on extreme diets, which is not uncommon.
ReplyDelete