Hudson Museum Scavenger Hunt: Chinese Shoes for Bound Feet
Where did they come from?
These shoes from China represent the practice of binding women’s feet to create a pronounced arch and keep the foot smaller than 3 to 4 inches.
This practice started in the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 C.E.) and continued into the 20th century.
Why were they made?
Foot binding prevented the normal growth of feet to make women’s feet small–a sign of beauty. The binding began at a very young age and the effects were painful and permanent
Bones in women’s feet were broken, rearranged and then healed in a way that made the arch of the foot more pronounced. They were then bound with long strips of cloth to keep the foot from growing above 3-4 inches.
Incredibly small feet was a symbol of elegance and nobility and was largely practiced by upper-class women, who were not expected to do manual labor.
To find the next code:
With the Clothing and Adornment case to your left, move down the hall towards the large standing stone at the end. You can scan the QR code when you find it, or click here to continue.