Women's foot binding began in the Song Dynasty

 

Women's foot binding began in the Song Dynasty

 

What makes people fall into the abyss is not necessarily poor mountains and rivers, but rather the ugliness and aesthetic misunderstandings of human nature. Agudengba, Adhuo, and Chu Sanxing were sitting under a big tree by the river, drinking Burmese milk tea, and chatting about the custom of female foot binding during the Northern Song Dynasty in China.

Agudenba said:

The custom of foot binding in ancient China probably originated in the Northern Song Dynasty. Because in early records, although there are praises for women with small feet and descriptions of foot decoration, it is difficult to conclude that foot binding was actually practiced at that time based on this statement alone. Even if it arrives

In the early Northern Song Dynasty, although there were women who bound their feet, they were relatively few.

Foot binding should begin to appear in the mid-Northern Song Dynasty. "Nancun Stops Farming Records" says that footbinding occurred "between Xining and Yuanfeng, and there were still very few people who did it." The Xining and Yuanfeng years were from 1068 to 1085. The custom of foot-binding existed during that time, but there were very few foot-binding practitioners at that time, and it would not be long before the custom of foot-binding appeared. Therefore, it can be said that the custom of women's foot binding originated in the 11th century AD in the Song Dynasty.

During the Xuanhe reign of Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty (1119-1125), which was the late Northern Song Dynasty, the custom of foot-binding developed greatly. The Maple Window Slips, which records etiquette, customs, political affairs, and art in the late Northern Song Dynasty and early Southern Song Dynasty, records the "flower boots, bows, and shoes" in Bianjing boudoirs after Xuanhe. More importantly, special foot-binding shoes appeared at this time. , and spread in society. Foot-binding shoes are also called "wrong to the end" among the people.

From the Song Dynasty, there were clearer records of foot binding. Foot binding was first popular among prostitutes, and then gradually affected middle- and upper-class women. As a result, more and more women had their feet bound, and people thought women with bound feet were particularly beautiful.

Azhuo smiled: What’s so beautiful about a woman with bound feet?

Agudenba said:

In the aesthetic concept of ancient Chinese people, the beauty of a woman is to reflect her "feminine" side, that is, petite, weak, demure, soft, etc. In addition to cherry mouth, melon seed face, willow slender waist, small feet are no exception. For example, in the Eastern Han Dynasty folk song "The Peacock Flies Southeast", "The delicate steps are delicate and unparalleled in the world." However, although people liked small feet before the Song Dynasty, it was not the small feet deliberately created due to "foot binding" later, but the small and beautiful nature of the feet.

The pursuit of beauty has different standards in different dynasties and generations. However, the pursuit of beauty in the Song Dynasty was diverse. Women all hoped to have a pair of small feet and step on a three-inch golden lotus. Later, this trend spread throughout China, and women bound their feet in pursuit of perverted beauty.

Chu Sanxing said: In my opinion, this should be related to the aesthetics of the ruling class.

Agudumba said: Yes.

The admiration of the rulers of the Song Dynasty played a huge role in the emergence of foot binding. The royal family and the upper class of the Song Dynasty were the first to start foot binding. "History of the Song Dynasty·Five Elements Chronicles" records: "In the Lizong Dynasty, the palace servants bound their feet and straightened their legs." This is an example of foot binding for women in the royal family and palace of the Song Dynasty. Cao Yuanchong called small feet "official" in a poem, which shows that footbinding originated from the upper class society of the Song Dynasty, including the bureaucrats and aristocrats of the Song Dynasty.

Chinese women's foot binding has completely changed the woman's style and gait. Its effect is equivalent to that of a modern girl wearing high-heeled leather shoes, and it produces an extremely restrained and delicate gait, making the whole body weak, shaky, and prone to collapse. Produces a pitiful feeling. It was this pitiful feeling that inflated the feudal literati's sense of superiority. This gives rise to the highest level of secrecy in these people's sexual ideals. As a result, foot binding was highly praised by literati in the Song Dynasty. Even outstanding literary giants such as Su Shi and Xin Qiji had chapters praising and appreciating foot binding.

Su Shi was a writer, calligrapher, painter and famous figure in flood control in the Northern Song Dynasty. Together with his father Su Xun and his younger brother Su Zhe, they are collectively known as the "Three Sus". Tieguan Taoist and Dongpo layman, known as Su Dongpo, Su Xian and Po Xian in the world.

Su Shi was a literary leader in the mid-Northern Song Dynasty and made great achievements in poetry, lyrics, prose, calligraphy, and painting. His poems have broad themes, are fresh and bold, are good at using exaggerated metaphors, and have a unique style. Together with Huang Tingjian, they are called "Su Huang"; His writings are grand and rich, unbridled and unrestrained. Together with Ouyang Xiu, he is known as "Ou Su". Together with Han Yu, Liu Zongyuan, Ouyang Xiu, Su Xun, Su Che, Wang Anshi and Zeng Gong, he is known as the "Eight Great Masters of the Tang and Song Dynasties". He is good at calligraphy, and is known as "Ou Su" together with Huang Tingjian, Mi Fu and Cai Xiang are collectively known as the "Four Families of the Song Dynasty".

Interestingly, the earliest poetic record of "foot-binding" is actually "The Bodhisattva Man·Ying the Feet" written by Su Shi in the sixth year of Xining, Emperor Yingzong of the Song Dynasty:

 

Apply fragrance, Mo Xilian walks,

The long sorrow is gone;

I saw the dance returning to the wind, but there was no where to go.

A palace built secretly is as stable as a palace, but a double palace is erected side by side.

Delicate saying should be difficult, it must be seen from the palm of your hand.

 

Su Shi's "Bodhisattva Barbarian·Yong's Feet" calls women's small feet "palace-like", which also shows that footbinding originated from the upper class society such as the bureaucrats and aristocrats in the Song Dynasty.

Xin Qiji's "Bodhisattva Man" also praised foot binding: "The light yellow bow-shaped shoes are small, and the waist is afraid of being blown down by the wind." This sentence is often quoted by people.

Qin Shaoyou's saying "the shoes on the feet are four inches wide" is also clear evidence.

Agudemba continued:

In fact, during the Northern Song Dynasty, foot binding was only popular among the royal palace and nobles at first. Women from ordinary families did not have their feet bound because they needed to work.

However, Che Ruoshui said in "Athology of Athlete's Foot": Women's foot binding begins when they are four or five years old. People who have done nothing wrong have to suffer this infinite pain. I don’t know what the use is of binding my feet.

Agudemba impromptuly sang "Song of Little Feet":

 

Chinese literati are boring;

Staring at the woman,

Always look from head to toe.

 

Women with small feet are called slim feet;

The waist is only afraid of being blown down by the wind,

The emperor's heart was filled with joy.

 

A petite, weak woman is demure,

The cherry has a small mouth and a slim waist,

The slender little feet take small steps.

 

The bureaucrats and aristocrats are obsessed with lust,

The softness of the little feet is unparalleled in the world,

From then on, foot binding became fashionable.