We, as humans, face the most difficult challenges: conformity. We inadvertently aim to be what we see depicted in the environment around us. In many instances, we do so under extreme circumstances without regard to the consequences. Around the globe, different beauty practices of enduring violence and pain, mutilation and self-mutilation can be found in almost every culture. In the Chinese culture, binding one's feet are done in order to achieve a certain length. Foot binding has disappeared from modern-day China, but it was once accepted and a promoted practice among many Chinese women. The origin of such culture, beauty practice is somewhat a mystery; there are many theories as to why women began to bind their feet. The reasons why women began binding their feet are not the only field of importance, why it became popular for women to bind their feet, how and why it became accepted in the Chinese culture and the consequences due to these practices are considered as well. Foot binding was known as a cultural practice that represented femininity and eroticism through physical and mental violence. In this cultural practice, it is believed that foot binding speaks multiple languages; seduction, eroticism, virtue, discipline and sacrifice. Both mother and daughter mutilated their feet in hopes of fulfilling
The true origin of the practice has never been made clear, however there are a few tales why and how it began. One of the most popular stories is a tale of deer girl from India. In this tale, a deer gave birth to a beautiful girl and the beauty of her deer's feet only enhanced her
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beauty. With her graceful walk, everywhere she went she left footprints of lotus flower shape on the ground. The shoes that Chinese women would wear when they would bind their feet were called Lotus Shoes. After the years this story was spread, it was believed that an emperor in southern China named Li Yu had his dancers bind their feet to resemble those of the deer girl. He believed that binding their feet to form the lotus flower would heighten the grace and beauty of his dancers. It is clear, that the practice had an influence on China; it gained such popularity and grew until women all over China were binding their feet. It was by the time the Empire of the Great Ming was ruling (1368-1644), that foot binding became the accepted practice for woman in China. Just like the origin has many theories, the reasons why it became so popular or what attracted them to do it has many theories as well. One that seems to convince the people of this culture is the beauty and sexual elegance of having such tiny feet. Just like every other cultural practices once it socially acceptable and a symbol for beauty, women were willing to go to the extreme measures and bound their feet. Foot binding was now seen as sexy in their eyes and became what women wanted in It is believed that women keep their obsession of bound feet so scared because it resembled both female and male genitals. Although the sex appeal of bound feet may be the main source as to why they did it, it did not stop there, as the practice and custom progressed, culturally accepted and admired, it was then used as a tool for marriage. Foot binding becoming a tool of marriage motivated both women and their families to bind their feet to enhance a daughter’s chance to potentials for marriage. In this cultural time, arranged marriage was established; men didn’t necessarily have an attraction to bound feet, but it was a preference by the future in laws. They desired brides with bound feet because not only did it symbolize sexuality but modesty and morality. Due to these desired expectations, the mothers and fathers who wanted to marry their daughter off well were forced, to bind her feet. Social class also played a big role in the beauty practice. The women from the higher class were able to afford the sacrifice and bind their feet unlike the poor, these women did not have to do physical labor work and their family did not depend on them for supporting living. However, eventually for the low class in China it became an investment and a sacrifice, to give up a necessary labor worker to bind their feet, in hopes to profit and marry into a wealthy family. Daughters begged their mothers to bind their feet to have that chance and although mothers may not have agreed at the moment they saw it to be a chance for a way out. Mothers and daughters started to the process behind the fathers but eventually getting on board with one ultimate goal, money that was being taken away for each child lost to binding feet would be reimbursed and would serve the family to betterment. Unfortunately this was very sad but a fact and without truly knowing what these girls were about to put themselves through once the process was started, there was no turning back and reality sinks in than to realize it was all a tortuous mistake. According to …“Loving mothers turned into monsters that beat their sobbing girls with sticks and brooms, forcing them to hop around to speed up the rotting of flesh and make sure the bones are broken properly.” As young as four years old little girls will begin the painful process of foot binding. What felt like an eternal pain that girls will never forget but was believed to be necessary; because their fate in marriage and sex relied on it. To begin the process of foot binding the author informs, first the girls would soak their feet in herbs and animal blood to soften the skin. Then were forced to break their toes and bend them under the sole. Each foot was then wrapped tightly with a 10ft long 2 inches wide bandage and sewed to prevent the bandages from coming loose. They were than told to jump around and hop in order to speed up the process. When the child wasn’t submissive to these orders, mothers were demanded for them to be physically beaten. Every two weeks the mothers would change the child’s shoe to a one fifth of an inch smaller than the pair before. Not only would the mothers change the shoes to a smaller size but also would tighten each day the bandages tighter and tighter. Rebinding and washing their feet was accompanied by bleeding and peeling of the rotten flesh. The pain was so unbearable and regretful that girls would try to take off the bandages and worse because of this; parents would tie the hands of their child to a pole. Throughout this process, these girls face many dangerous effects; foot binding caused blood poisoning, cut off blood circulation and infections. For the sake of their daughters their only hope was to lose all sensation to feel minimum pain as possible. What mothers called the breaking process, took about two years to reach complete deformity and when finally desired size was achieved; the outcome no outsider could believe that they belonged to a human being. However, according to the Author, the success of women binding feet empowered the appearance of high civilization. Some would believe that such beauty practice was praised because the beauty of the lotus shoe covered the low and degrading nature of the human foot.
The only organ that keeps human stuck in the mud, where as the rest of body is held high and elevated to sun, the sky and other heavenly things. Not only was the feet considered to be filthiest part; the foot is also
psychologically
I will be explaining the role of women in society in Bound Feet and Western Dress. The Chinese have traditions that are generations old and are very serious in their culture. These Chinese traditions have been deeply established. In Bound feet and Western Dress, a dispute between Chinese traditions and Westernization of Chinese women begin to emerge. The women in traditional China were treated unequally and were basically looked upon as property for their husband. The women were taken in by the husband’s family and had to always obey their husband and also had to take orders from the husband’s family as well.
In her article "The body as attire," Dorothy Ko (1997) reviewed the history about foot binding in seventeenth-century China, and expressed a creative viewpoint. Foot binding began in Song Dynasty, and was just popular in upper social society. With the gradually popularization of foot binding, in the end of Song Dynasty, it became generally popular. In Qing Dynasty, foot binding was endowed deeper meaning that was termed into a tool to against Manchu rule. The author, Dorothy Ko, studied from another aspect which was women themselves to understand and explained her shifting meaning of foot binding. Dorothy Ko contends that “Chinese Elite males in the seventeenth century regarded foot binding in three ways: as an expression of Chinese wen civility,
Years later during the Ming and Ch’ing eras it became wide spread among all status levels. Footbinding is a mutilation of the feet by wrapping them up weeks upon weeks to force them into the shape of a lotus flower and keep them at a length of three inches. (p.366) “Small feet became a prestige item to such an extent that a girl without them could not achieve a good marriage arrangement and was subjected to the disrespect and taunts of the community.” (p.364). Eventually lower-class women began using binding to find wealthy husbands.
Traditions in Chinese culture are long-rooted and are taken very seriously from generation to generation. However, there must always be room for modern change in order for society to grow and strive across the globe. In Bound Feet and Western Dress the conflict between Chinese traditions and modern change arises. With this conflict it is important to discuss the different meanings of liberation for men and women and they way in which Chang Yu-I was able to obtain liberation throughout her life.
What culture they had was to be forgotten – a difficult and practically impossible feat. The Chinese-Americans faced a wall of cultural difference that could only be scaled with the support of their parents and local community. The book review of Bone by Nhi Le stated clearly how “ … the first generations’ struggle to survive and the second generations’ efforts to thrive … ” made the transition into American culture possible. Overcoming barriers such as language, education, work ethic, and sex roles was just a beginning to the problems that all Asian – Americans faced.
for fear of men seeing them as women's legs, it was a bit like the
O-lan's physical appearance showed her as a very modest woman. When Wang Lung sees her, he stares at O-lan seeing that, "plain though her face was and rough the skin upon her hands the flesh of her big body was soft and untouched . . . her body was beautiful, spare, and big boned yet rounded and soft" (26). From her physical qualities, it is clear that O-lan isn't a spoiled woman who sits around all day, but a hard worker. She is described as an ugly, flat-footed, stolid-faced woman. Many times, Wang Lung secretly wishes that O-lan didn't have such big feet. During the time of this book, women's feet were bound so they would be smaller. O-lan had big feet because they were never bound. This was another aspect of Chinese life that seemed designed to make women suffer was the practice of altering the feet of girls so they could barely walk. The Chinese custom of foot binding was meant to please men esthetically and to enhance a man's status by showing he was wealthy enough for his wife or concubine not to work.
Existing as a girl is not necessarily undemanding in general, but can you even begin to envision being a girl in China? At one time, girls were hobbling around with their feet squeezed into tight, painful shoes, generally in agony from the bruises and deep bloody cuts. In fact, foot binding was not the only downgrading act for women. Lensey Namioka gives an inside visual at what it is like to be a girl in China, with her novel Ties That Bind, Ties That Break. This novel follows the life of Ailin, a young girl in China, who struggles with following basic traditions and beliefs. Living life as a girl was not easy for Ailin and she faced an abundance of difficulties, which included, whether she will bind her feet, attend a public school, and what
Maxine Hong Kingston’s “On Discovery”, was an interesting read. The description of what is happening to Tang Ao in this paints a very painful reality of the ways of the Chinese woman. I am not familiar with Chinese culture but have heard stories of binding the feet because small feet are considered beautiful. These stories were told to me because I have tiny feet for my size and my mother said it was a sign of beauty in the Chinese culture. My feet however did not need to be painfully bound. What are my fellow student’s interpretation of this
I chose to remix my cultural artifact which was my pointe shoes. I remixed my pointe shoes by creating a website about them and dance in general. I wanted to remix my cultural artifact because dance is a major part of my life and I thought it would be the best project to remix. The website has personal elements to it but is also includes more general facts and dance information. I included information about my dancing experience as well as basic information about dance and pointe shoes. I decided that it would be useful to include information for where I am currently dancing at Michigan State and other dance studios that are around campus.
A custom common at the time, it ensured the prevention of growth in the feet of young girls. The coveted result was one of pain and disability, however, was considered one of beauty, prestige, and social standing. Those with bound feet, or "lotus feet," were admired for their dainty feet and the beauty that was acquired through painful bindings around the feet. This is a portrayal of the status of women in society as well as the males' population's perception of women. A representation of the aristocratic hierarchy present in China, the prevalence of those with small feet were often among the wealthy and they possessed a higher position in society as a result of their husband. Due to the nature of the bindings, women would develop a careful and cautious walk composed of tiny steps. The nature of their walk asserted that women were seen as mere items of pleasure to men, as their walk did not enable them to work. This limited mobility may reflect the limitations women suffered in politics and society as they were perceived as less adept and competent as their male counterparts. As items of pleasure and service, the role of women in society may be illustrated in the tradition of foot
Also in China girls are made to bind there feet up at an early age so
In past and present societies, women find value in their communities depending on different aspects of beauty. In Memoirs of a Geisha, Sayuri gains economic independence through the dramatic competitions between her and other geishas. The ancient Chinese tradition of foot binding prolonged a custom that subjugated women under the guise of beauty. Today's modern workplace entails a high standard of professional appearance that requires plastic surgery. In all instances, beauty plays an essential role in instilling a culture that persists and defines the intricate relationships between women and men.
Examples of cultural constructions can be seen throughout history in several forms such as gender, relationships, and marriage. “Cultural construction of gender emphasizes that different cultures have distinctive ideas about males and females and use these ideas to define manhood/masculinity and womanhood/femininity.” (Humanity, 239) In many cultures gender roles are a great way to gain an understanding of just how different the construction of gender can be amongst individual cultures. The video The Women’s Kingdom provides an example of an uncommon gender role, which is seen in the Wujiao Village where the Mosuo women are the last matriarchy in the country and have been around for over one thousand years. Unlike other rural Chinese villages where many girls are degraded and abandoned at birth, Mosuo woman are proud and run the households where the men simply assist in what they need. The view of gender as a cultural construct ...
A need for both socialization and a sense of identity forge tight community bonds that many maintain throughout their life. Their life may center on religion, race, or even the socioeconomic class to which they belong. Communities reflect these aspects by grouping together individuals in similar situations and beliefs. Pang-Mei Natasha Chang’s Bound Feet & Western Dress expresses the importance of tradition and culture in community identification by detailing the life of the conventional Chang Yu-i and her relationship with a westernized Hsü Chih-mo. Susanna Kaysen depicts her personal struggles with finding the community that she belongs to in Girl, Interrupted. Both Yu-i and Kaysen learn that community is not assigned, rather it is chosen by a self motivated individual wanting inclusion. Community is formed from a group of people with similar goals and beliefs who obtain identity and strength in numbers. The member is forever bound to his or her community thus preserving the ideals in association which makes finding a new identity is impossible. The effect a community has on its constituents is profound in that it governs the way one looks at the world.