The painful practice of foot binding had complex social and economic roots in China. | Archaeology and Lost Civilizations

Footbinding was a brutal and widespread tradition in China that originated during the 10th century, likely during the Song Dynasty. Young girls, often starting as early as age five, had their feet tightly bound after the bones were broken, forcing the toes under the sole to achieve an unnaturally small, lotus-like foot shape. This practice was initially a status symbol among the wealthy elite, signaling that a woman was so privileged she did not need to work. Over time, the tradition permeated a