Recently, I was watching a television show in which one of the characters had her middle toe shortened. She did so in order for her to wear a pair of opened toed shoes she had purchased.
Honestly, I find the idea absurd. I love wearing my heels, including the open toe ones, but I’ll be slapped senseless before I have a toe chopped off for them. Fortunately, for me, I have pretty feet -toes included. However, more and more women are seeking Cosmetic Foot Surgery.
I am a firm believer in proper foot care (I have a post coming up on the subject) yet, I do believe that some women are taking their ambitions to be perfect to the extremes.
Well, watching this show and reading a section about this trend in a book on shoes, made me think of the practice of foot binding that was once prevalent in China.
From the articles I have read, there are numerous legends to how the practice began.
1. A prince was obsessed with the small feet of his concubine.
2. It was ordered by a empress with a club foot.
And there are some other versions.
What all the accounts do agree about, is that it was a painful process to endure.
The process began when the girls were between the ages of four and seven. The four small toes were broken then, bent under the sole of the foot and bound by cloth. The arch of the foot was also broken and bound.
Everyday, the bandages had to be removed. The foot cared for. And the bandages replaced tighter than before.
There were many complications that could and did occur during the process. From infection to flesh falling off to gangrene. Also, a foul smell would come from the feet.
The result was a foot of 3′ long. The foot was badly deformed and no longer useful for walking.
What foot binding did was prevent women from “wandering” far from home.
I have read that the men, who married the women with bound feet, rarely if ever saw the foot without bandages.
I guess the fantasy was better than seeing the reality:
Lotus Shoes were worn by the women:
The practice of foot binding was stopped in the 1930′s.
More information: Painful Memories
Chinese Foot Binding
