Slippers for bound feet of light aqua silk brocade with dainty floral design in green and pink with touches of red, blue, and purple

Title: Slippers for bound feet of light aqua silk brocade with dainty floral design in green and pink with touches of red, blue, and purple
LC Subject: shoes (footwear)
Description: Slippers for bound feet of light aqua silk brocade with dainty floral design in green and pink with touches of red, blue, and purple; shoe is wider in back and narrows to a point in front and has a triangular peak at the vamp; leather sole with an added leather heel; lined in white cotton; no left or right designation.
Motif: Lotus Feet; Dainty flowers
Work Type: slippers (shoes)
Location: People's Republic of China
Date: 1801/1900
Identifier: 0000.012.032
Rights: In Copyright
License: Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
Type: Image
Format: image/tiff
Material: Silk Brocade; Cotton
Technique: Shoes for bound feet
Set: Historic and Cultural Textile and Apparel Collection
Primary Set: Historic and Cultural Textile and Apparel Collection
Institution: Oregon State University
Note: Foot binding, or Lotus feet, began as early as the 10th or 11th century and did not end till the early 20th century. The practice of foot binding was wide spread in the 19th century with 100% of the upper class practicing foot binding and 40% to 50% of the general population. The shoes of the upper class would have a small heel. This flat heel style would have been worn by a woman from the general population. The ideal size of a bound foot was 4" long. This shoe measures 6 1/2" long. The practice of foot binding was a constant chore, and required weekly maintenance. Women from the upper class would hire a professional practitioner to do the foot binding as many mother's found it too difficult to inflict pain on their daughters. There are a few theories to how the practice started, but what is more compelling is how it continued. The tiny feet were viewed as attractive, and the because the foot size was so disproportionate to the size of the woman, her gait was gentle and swayed back and forth so that she could balance. This was seen as an attractive feature. Furthermore, having bound feet made a woman more dependent on a man, as she could not comfortably walk. It is for this reason that many people from the lower classes began binding the feet of their daughters, as they believed it would promise them a better marriage. However, this was not often the case and these women still worked in the same jobs as other women of their class, but were not able to be as efficient. Several leaders attempted to outlaw the practice without success, and doctors recognized many health problems that occurred as a result. Foot binding was reflective of a Chinese woman's status; to serve her husband and to bear his son, with no other ambition. Furthermore, it was a sign of pride in the culture and adherence to Confusian values of the time. Christian missionaries had influence in eliminating the practice, and some leaders continued to attempt to appose the practice. As trade opened up in the late 1800s, woman began to seek education as a means to free themselves of the bondage of servatude. Schools for women were set up in the early 1900s and eventually as education for women increased, and a desire to compete in the world became important, the practice slowly died out.