The Submission of Chinese Women in the 15th Century

Abstract

Lotus feet were a practice that began in the 15th century, during the Tang dynasty in China. The tradition says that the Chinese Emperor Li Yu fell in love with a dancer who had tiny feet while she performed a traditional dance known as "Lotus Dance." According to historical facts, "because the Emperor desired many women and discovered his peculiar taste for small feet, the Chinese women of the time devised a technique that would reduce their feet" (GRAFF, 2017, p. 6). According to Graff (2007, p. 8), the practice was seen as a matter of status because it symbolized wealth and became a standard of beauty in that culture. The smaller the women's feet, the more desirable they were to the male audience, resulting in a good marriage. However, this custom began to show its negative effects on women, as most of those who underwent the procedure ended up with locomotor disabilities and sedentary lifestyles. According to Saffioti, "gender relations are historically constructed, with a 'regime of domination-exploitation of women by men'" (2004, p. 44). Thus, this logic prevailed, with the need to please and seduce men, as they were taught to be attracted to small feet and believe that women who endured this pain for years would not oppose their husband's orders. However, the history of the practice was concealed. In this sense, many cultures hold the idea that a woman should dress up to please a man, even if this results in health issues. According to Stein, from the website "Hipercultura": In China, girls who bound and mutilated their feet did not lead comfortable lives, as they had to carry out a heavy workload. This was a way to ensure the young women remained seated for several hours while performing their tasks. They were exploited, producing threads, cloths, mats, shoes, and fishing nets, from which their families earned their livelihood. Women were taught that this would help them find a good marriage and achieve happiness.