Foot Binding: The Role Of Women In Ancient China

The role of women in ancient China was that of hardship and discrimination. Chinese women faced ill treatment and embarrassment throughout their lives, much different from how Chinese men were treated. Women were underprivileged, humiliated before men and education was not an acceptable practice. Women were subjected to cruel and unusual practices, such as foot binding, to keep some sort of status during these times. Foot binding required the arch of the foot to be broken, then tied up to the toes tightly. This caused the foot to be curled into a stump, and was regarded to be attractive. The process of foot binding was painful and caused women to hobble because they could no longer walk properly due to the deformity of their feet. The wealthiest and highest classes of Chinese women bound their feet, and the practice soon spread to lower classes, although some women could not bind their feet so that they could work. This process began during the age of 5-6 and took years to complete.

Just like the women in other areas of the world during these times, the lives of women were controlled solely by men. A male member of the family was in charge of the female members of the family that included daughters, granddaughters, nieces and others. It was the job of the man to arrange marriages for the women, and the consent of the woman was not needed. When girls were born, there was no celebration like there was with the birth of boys. Girls were not usually named and were therefore called “daughter 1 and daughter 2”. If a woman could not bear a son, another wife was taken until a son was born. The main role for Chinese women was an important one, they raised the children, did the chores and worked around the home. Although this may sound trivial, the women performing this important role kept the house maintained and the family fed. Women would work the farms and fish for