Bound Foot Shoe
| Type: | Clothing - Footwear |
|---|---|
| Object Name: | Bound Foot Shoe |
| Place Made: | Asia: East Asia, China |
| Period: | Late 19th century |
| Date: | 1875 - 1900 |
| Dimensions: | L 13 cm x H 9 cm |
| Materials: | Silk; cotton |
| Techniques: | Woven; brocaded; embroidered; hand-sewn |
| ID Number: | T92.0175a-b |
| Credit: | Gift of Ruth Lor Malloy and Michael Malloy |
To wear these tiny shoes, a woman changed the shape of her feet by the process of foot binding, a centuries-old practice among women in China. The desired result of foot binding was “delicate” feet, which connoted beauty, modesty and status, and were referred to as “golden lotus” feet, or jin lian.
