Foot binding

Foot binding began around the Shang Dynasty (1700-1027)

Origin Myths

• A fox who, in an attempt to disguise himself as an empress, concealed his feet by binding them.
• Last empress of the Shang dynasty had a club foot, and to hide her embarrassment, persuaded her husband to make the compression of the feet obligatory for young girls.

Motivation:
Young girls realized that binding their feet could be their passport to social mobility and increased wealth.

Foot binding became more popular and spread from court circles to the wealthy.

When the Manchu nobility came to power in 1644, they tried to ban the practice, but with little success. The first anti-footbinding committee was formed in Shanghai by a British priest in 1874.

But the practice wasn't outlawed until 1912.

Footbinding is similar to the altercations females women today go through to impress males or feel better about themselves.