What are the dangers of foot binding in ancient times?

In ancient times, women had no social status, so they had to bind their feet to persecute them. Many men liked women's small feet, so they bound their feet. This was a great harm to women's bodies, so women suffered a lot during foot binding. The bones and flesh had to be deformed to meet the requirements, which was quite painful. So what were the dangers of foot binding in ancient times?

1. The labor force is halved - exacerbating social poverty

Men and women each make up half of the human society. Half of the women who had their feet bound became disabled. Women in the era of foot binding often compared themselves to "crabs without feet". It is difficult for them to walk because of their small feet. They have to hold on to the wall, use a stick or a pole to walk. If possible, they have the support of a maid. Some people can only walk in the courtyard with the help of a maid. It is not uncommon for them to rely entirely on others to hold them or carry them. If they are isolated and helpless, it will be difficult for them to move from one room to the adjacent room. As for walking outside, even with a walking stick and a maid, he could not walk far before becoming out of breath. From time to time, he leaned on the maid's shoulder, leaned against a pillar to rest, and rubbed the lotus hook to relieve pain and fatigue. If there is war and chaos, all we can do is sit and wait for death. Women with bound feet could hardly even walk, so how could they participate in social labor?

(II) Women are “playthings” – they lose their independence and self-esteem

The economic base determines the superstructure. A person's social status and family status are determined by the economic base. Women who have their feet bound are restricted in their movements and cannot participate in social labor or heavy labor at home. The wealth in society and the family is created by men. They lose their independent personality and self-esteem. They are just appendages of men and their property. Men treat them as "playthings." The formation of the custom of foot binding further exacerbated the view that women were "playthings".

(III) Broken tendons and broken bones - physical and mental damage

There is a saying in the “Mom Sutra” that “If it’s not rotten, it’s not small. The rottener the better.” In order to make it easier to bind the feet, people often deliberately cause muscle erosion. Some people deliberately put broken stones, rubble, and porcelain chips into the foot binding cloth, and some people used needles or knives to cut the skin and flesh. If women wanted to bind their feet, they would have to do it to the point of breaking tendons and bones. It was also common for them to lose one or two little toes. Women with bound feet could not sit or lie still, could not walk steadily, and could not sleep at night due to the pain. They went through extreme torment and were tortured cruelly.

Foot binding is a great harm to women physically and mentally. Therefore, after liberation, the phenomenon of foot binding has ceased, which has improved the social status of women. Therefore, the impact of foot binding on women is great and will affect their happiness throughout their lives. Therefore, regardless of their identity and status, women need to bind their feet.