Chinese Club Feet

[cyber-sibes]

Weren't they called "lotus feet"? I've never seen photos of the feet before, looks incredibly painful. I can't imagine deforming a child's beautiful little feet in that way. My gosh, they don't even look like feet. Must have been thought up by some man with major control issues.
(no offense to men in general)

[Giselle]

THAT'S what it looks like? Oh wow! I've read countless accounts of bound feet, but that image far surpasses my interpretation of them Truly grotesque and ridiculous.

[Twisterdog]

While indeed a horrific practice, it is no longer done. It has not been done for a long time. It was formally outlawed in 1911. The only surviving victims of foot-binding are now very old women.

Here are a couple of interesting sites, if you want some more information on the practice. I have trouble even reading or looking at pictures. It makes me feel a little ill.

Foot Binding

Foot Binding

[RICHARD]

Where are the pictures of the clubs?

I was expecting something like the seal thread,

[wombat2u2004]

Where are the pictures of the clubs?

I was expecting something like the seal thread,

It's their FEET Richard.......they beat the seals to death with their FEET....sheesh.....
Wom

[cyber-sibes]

This thread is so bizarre, it got me looking up more information. For a thousand years women suffered this indignation, & some people suspect it is still practiced in remote parts of China.

Thought this was interesting:

"The earliest versions of the story of Cinderella come from Sung Dynasty China. In these versions, the point of the story is that the Prince loves Cinderella because she has the smallest feet of any girl in the kingdom, so the slipper will only fit her."

That certainly puts a new spin on an old story.

[lady_zana]

This thread is so bizarre, it got me looking up more information. For a thousand years women suffered this indignation, & some people suspect it is still practiced in remote parts of China.

Thought this was interesting:

"The earliest versions of the story of Cinderella come from Sung Dynasty China. In these versions, the point of the story is that the Prince loves Cinderella because she has the smallest feet of any girl in the kingdom, so the slipper will only fit her."

That certainly puts a new spin on an old story.

Most of those old Faerie tales are nothing like the tales we know! Snow White was raped and had twins in the original....eep!

Back on topic though, check out Bound by Donna Jo Napoli. It's a young adult novel - a retelling of Cinderella where the heroine is the lesser loved sister who's feet were not bound and she has to care for her older stepsisters and their tiny, bound feet. It's a good read and being for young adults, it doesn't take very long to finish.