THE LILY FEET

(A high castle ladys dainty "Lily Feet", c. 1900)

Chinese Foot Binding : THE LILY FEET
Originating in the Sung’s dynasty(960 A.C.) till the 1930’s, the tradition of “Lily Feet” became popular in Imperial China. When the girl was around 3 years old their feet were broken and bound in a way that the toes get closer to the heel having the illusion of the shape of a Lily.

 This was practiced without any kind of pain killers, the bandages were changed everyday and were bound tighter till the teenage years. Then the girl starts to wear very expensive and exquisite shoes that made the lily shape come true (The reality was that without the shoe under the bandages the feet were completely deformed some times even rotten). Lily feet became an erotic and cultural thing of beauty that women with normal feet was considered monstrous and will never get married.

 The tiny the feet get, the more suitors she had and richer she can get… Of course these women with Lily feet weren’t able to walk for long periods,and their future belonged to their husbands…Lily Feet remained till China became communist and 
foot binding was forbiden because a woman with lily feet was unable to work.