It must be excruciatingly painful to have your feet permanently disfigured from an early age, but the rationale behind the Chinese practice seemed to be that it would lead to marriage and a happier life.

A fate suffered by millions of women, the practice that spanned centuries, but now it appears that its real purpose may have been misunderstood.

That’s according to Laurel Bossen, who co-authored the new book Bound feet, Young hands.

Her research shows that the actual reason comes down to that dirty old devil – money. CNN below:

Tiny “golden lotus” feet — achieved through breaking girls’ toes and arches and binding them to the sole of the foot with cloth — were thought to be a passport to a better marriage and a better way of life…

Girls who had their feet bound didn’t lead a life of idle beauty but rather served a crucial economic purpose, especially in the countryside, where girls as young as 7 weaved, spun and did work by hand…

Foot-binding persisted for so long because it had a clear economic rationale: It was a way to make sure young girls sat still and helped make goods like yarn, cloth, mats, shoes and fishing nets that families depended upon for income — even if the girls themselves were told it would make them more marriageable.

Bossen says women weren’t shy about talking about or showing their bound feet, making her skeptical [sic] that it was an erotically charged fetish.

“You have to link hands and feet. Footbound women did valuable handwork at home in cottage industries. The image of them as idle sexual trophies is a grave distortion of history,” said Bossen.

The practice started during the Song dynasty (960-1279), and by the 19th century it was commonplace around China.

Foot binding is no longer practised, and the last surviving women can be found in the more rural areas. During interviews with these women, it became clear that the practice decreased as cheaper, factory-made products made the older methods of production less fruitful.

A few more pictures before we go:

Something to consider the next time you squeeze into heels and spend the evening moaning about them.

[source:cnn]