kedupbyherahandshoothepublicafterherdeath,attheadssionrateofahundredallfeet
andtheir”boeafashioninthetangdynastythecbowshoes,”angalley,hebeginningsor
rudintaryforoffootbindingthesehedancinggirlsoftheurt,andinthisluxuriousatsphereoffeledancingandurtperfuandbeadedcurtainsandrareincense,itindshouldhaveappearedandputthelastfinishingtouindbelonged
totherulerofnantangsouthetang,ashortliveddynasty,epoetbesidesoneofhisgirlsadetodancehlighttiptoestepsonagoldenlilysixfeethigh,hungalloveritatedbythepublic,andtheboundfeetto
passintopoetrythe”issignificant,foritsuggeststhevoluptuousatsphereoftherichchinese,bershrareandfineperfuoneshavebeenten
thatenode
attheexpenseofbodilyfortisnothingpeculiarlychineseaslateas1824,englishgirlsothersbyfootandhand
osqueezetheirbodiesinsidethehesewhalebonessthavegreatlyassistedtheeighteenthcenturyandearlynieenthcenturyeuropeaneninfaintingatthepropetenybefrailinchina,butithasneverbeenthefashiontofaintthetiptoedancingoftherussianballetisbutanotherexaleofthebeautyofhuntortureaybehonouredhthenaofanart
thesllfeetofenseyesbutinastrange
andsubtleen,
throeodehighheeledshoes,and
effeing”alloverandreadytofall
attheslightesttouchlookingataanhboundfeetaropedancer,tantalizingtothehighestdegreetheboundfootisindeedthehighestsophistiagination
then,entirelyapartfrohefeninegait,nhadetohandadreandsingaboutthesllfeetasalovefetishfrooshoesportantplaceinallsensualpoetrythecultofthe”goldenlily”belongedundoubtedlytotherealfsexualpsyuchartisticfinesseheappreciationofdifferenttypesofboundfeetaswaseverexpendedoverthebersthatreallysll
andhanteninacity,itiseasytounderstand
hoenuldbevedbythestheyghtbevedbyexquisitepoetryfanghsienofthenchudynastyeanentirebookdevotedtothisart,classifyingtheboundfeetintofiveindivisionsandeighteentypesreover,aboundfootshouldbeafat,bsoftandgelegant;sosaysfang:
1afashionjoualofthetisays:”heneays,theyoungladyshouldhefaothershouldplaceher
footinthesllofherdaughtersbackinordertoobtaingoodpurchasethereshouldbethennodifficultyinkingthestayset”
thinfeetareld,andscularfeetarehardsuchfeetareincurablyvulgarhencefatfeetarefullandsothtothetouch,softfeetaregentleandpleasingtotheeye,andelegantfeetarerefinedandbeautifulbutfatnessdoesnotdependontheflesh,softnessdoesnotdependonthebinding,andelegancedoesnotdependontheshoesreover,youyjudgeitsfatnessandsoftnessbyitsforbutyouyappreciateitseleganind
allthoseenandthe
persistenanchu
eerorkanghsitostopfootbindingangthechinesehinafewyears,andnchugirlsitatingchinesegirlsinthisfashionuntileerorthersedtheirgirls
togroarryintogoodhoshadtobindtheirfeetyoungasaasureofparentalforesight,andabrideallfeethadafeelinganalogoustofilialgratitudefoexttoagoodface,aanwasieasurablyproudofhersllfeet,asdeenareproudoftheirsllankles,forthesefeetgaveheraniediatedistinctioninanysocialgatheringherboundfeetercifullypainful,duringthetiofgroh,butifshehadawasherprideforlife
thisnstrousandperverseinstitutionnedbyatleastthreescholars,lijuinistnovel,ckinghuajfuantei
17161799,and
ytighenghsieh17751840,allsindsandnsiderableinfluencebutthecustossionariesledthe
crusade,adebtforenoughttobegratefulbutinthisthessionarieshavebeenfortunatelyhelpedbytheforstances,forchineseenhavefoundinthedehighheeledshoesatolerablesubstitutetheyenhanincinggaitandcreatetheillusionthatthefeetaresllerthantheyreallyareliliioninhisessaysontheartoflivingisstilltrue:”ihaveseenfeetofthreeincheshoutheeledshoesandfeetoffourorfiveineplace,andfeltthatthethreeinchfeetarebiggerthanthefourorfiveinchfeetbecausehheels,thetoespointdopointed,houtheels,thejade
baooshootsthetoesrisetoedfeetlookflat”s
