Lotus Shoes
Lotus shoes were worn by Chinese women who had bound feet—a painful process that began in childhood. Binding involved breaking the foot and folding it under, then tightly wrapping it to maintain a small shape. These shoes, often beautiful and handcrafted, represented status and femininity.
An ideal foot, called a “golden lotus,” was just three inches long. Bound feet made walking difficult and often caused infections, lifelong pain, and disability. Though outlawed in the 20th century, the practice lasted over a thousand years. Today, lotus shoes are preserved in museums as reminders of extreme beauty practices.
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