The painful practice of foot binding had complex social and economic roots in China. | Archaeology and Lost Civilizations

Foot binding, a practice that originated in China over a thousand years ago, was deeply rooted in cultural and aesthetic values and seen as an expression of beauty, status, and power. This process, carried out by a mother or grandmother, began when girls were very young, around 4 to 9 years old. It involved tightly binding the feet with bandages about 10 feet long, which gradually broke the arch and toes to create a smaller, more desirable foot shape known as “lotus feet.” It is believed that th