The Practice of Foot-Binding

Let’s talk about one of the most peculiar beauty standards in ancient China: foot-binding

This malformed foot was called the “lotus foot” and it originated in 10th-century China as a status symbol and a mark of feminine beauty.

The most desirable woman possessed a 3-inch foot, known as the “golden lotus”. The 4-inch foot was called the “silver lotus.” Anything longer than that was dismissed as the “iron lotus” and considered to be unattractive.

In order to achieve this kind of foot, girls had to bind their feet when they were very young. The process involved pressing the girl’s toes toward the heel with cloth binders and bulging the foot into an arched shape. It was a painful practice that limited the mobility of women and resulted in lifelong disabilities.

Eventually, in 1912, footbinding was officially banned.