foot binding
...ong term effects of modern body perfection procedures are just now coming into light. Most of these adverse effects somewhat resemble the handicaps that foot binding produced in China. Foot binding existed in China for thousands of years. This practice has thankfully been abolished, but evidence of it still exists. The custom of foot binding is a horror to describe. Images of the resulting foot of this once common procedure are truly repulsing. It is hard to believe that women with these mutant feet were once desirable. The worst part of the tradition of foot binding is the method in which they obtain the desired crescent-shaped foot. To begin such a procedure, they begin with a four or so year old girl’s foot. The mother would carry out this atrocity by first soaking the girl’s foot in warm water or animal blood and herbs. This mixture’s purpose was to aid the dead flesh in falling off (what a great thought). The toe nails would then be cut short and the foot would get a nice, gentle massage (doesn’t sound so bad). This was done just before your mother would break your four little toes (never mind). Good old ma would then tuck those four toes under and wrap your foot up as tight as she could in bandages. Every two days she would lovingly redo these bandages tighter, for many years. The exact reason for this tradition’s beginning is not exactly known. In fact, there exist many legends of the origin of foot binding. The more common legend is during the Sung dynasty. The Chinese prince Li Yu is said to have had a concubine named Yao Niang. The prince Li Yu, thought that she walked so grac...