Why did the Chinese bind the feet of newborn baby girls?

Answer 1

Answer

Every girl, at a young age, would have to have their feet broken horizontally across the center of the foot, the metatarsals, and then the phalanges broken and tucked under the foot, then bound really tight. Eventually, the feet heal into the position they were bound, but walking is limited and very painful forever after that; hence the quick tip-toe trot of Chinese women.

The binding was a form of male domination over women. To keep women tucked safely, and daintily, away. It was sick, and it ended in 1911.

-- Yep. There were actually many reasons for this, to add to the above person's input

First off, obviously a husband doesn't want a wife to run away, so even if a husband or godmother treated a girl badly by either hitting her or verbally abusing her (or both), she couldn't run away because of her feet. It's awfully difficult to walk with feet like that, let alone run.

In addition, having a wife with bound feet was like a status symbol for men back in the day. Having a wife with bound feet meant that you could afford to have a wife who doesn't need to work or labor; she can just sit there and look pretty.

Lastly, I don't know exactly how this came up to be accepted in Chinese culture back then, but there was a huge foot fetish back then. Men ogled over feet in those times like current day men ogle over busty girls on magazines. They thought of bound feet to be extremely sexy, and there was even a big book listing over 100 ways to "play" with bound feet.

But to answer your question exactly, because of all the above reasons, women had to have their feet bound because very few men would accept wives without bound feet. It was a necessity, otherwise women couldn't get married, and back then, marriage was all a woman considered was good for.

Answer 2

they would break their toes and use tight bandages to make the bend underneath their feet. the bandages would be tightened everyday. the girls wouldn't be able to walk and would cry for 2 yrs. when the person gets old the feet die completely and they stink because they are rotten. the girls were about 5 or six when the happened because theier feet never grew after that.

It was encouraged because having small feet to Chinese people was a thing of beauty. Men desired small feet so if u didnt u would probably not get married. for higher up classes it was required to do so. its awful right? those poor little girls. :(

Answer 3

Foot binding was first practiced among the elite and only in the wealthiest parts of China, which suggests that binding the feet of well-born girls represented their freedom from manual labor and, at the same time, the ability of their husbands to afford wives who did not need to work, who existed solely to serve their men and direct household servants while performing no labor themselves. The economic and social attractions of such women may well have translated into sexual desirability among elite men.

Answer 4

I am told:

Men liked smarter feet; (personally I do detest a woman having giant feet)

Women were expected to remain indoors, so tiny feet would cripple their ability to get into the outside world.

I kind of firmly believe:

There's some subtle benefit for women in binding their feet that is above these superficial contemporary heads. There is always some truth in those ancient mysteries.

Answer 5

a long time ago, it was a status symbol to bind your feet. the tinier your feet, the higher your cahnces of marrying into nobility.

Answer 6

keep their feet and steps tiny