Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1843-01-31
SCENES IN CHINA.
The Chinese Ladies- Lilae Feet Tar.
tar LGdieS-RicE and P0Or-Mar.
riGge- Welcome TO a DOmicil-mGn.
ners of COttG0ers. '''."

1
riGge- Welcome TO a DOmicil-man.
ners Of COttagers.
During our stay at snObOrage we made
constant trips to the surrounding islands,
in one Of which, tea island, we had a
good opportunity Of minutely examining
the far>famed little female feet. 1 had
been Purchasing pretty little pair Ofsa-
Tin shoes, for about a half dollar, at one
Of the Chinese farmers houses, where we
were surrounded by several men, wO.
men, and children. By signs We express
ed wish to see the pied migDOn Of 4
really good looking woman Of The party.
Our signs were quickly understood, but,
probably from her being matrOn,it was
not considered quite CONNIE IL .fGut for
her TO comply with our desire as she
would not consent 10 show US her feet;
but verv pretty interesting girl OfSbout
sixteen was placed on STOOL for the
purpose Of gratifying our curiosity. At
first she was very bOshful, and appeared
not to like exposing her CinderelIa-like
slipper; but the shine Of new end very
bright "lOOpee" soon Overcame her deli-
cacy, when she commenced unwinding
the upper bandage which posses round
the leg, and over tongue that comes
up from the heel. The shoe was then re.
moved, and the second bandage taken of,
which did duty fora stocking; the turns
round the toesand ankles being very tight,
and keeping all in place, On the naked
foot being exposed TO view, we. were u.
greeably surprised by finding it delicate
" white and clean, for we fully expected
to find it otherwise, from the known hab.
its of most of the Chinese. The leg
from the knee dOwnWaTds was much vast
ed; the foot appes red as, if broken up al
the insteP, while the four small toes we're
bent fiat and pressed down under The foot
the great Toe ODly being allowed 10 retain
its natural position. By The breaking Of
the instep high arch is formed between
the heel and the toe, enabling the induVid-
ual to step with them on an even surface, in
this respect materially differing from the
Canton and Macao ladies' for with them
the instepIis not Interfered with, but ave-
ry high heel is substituted, thus bringing
he point of the great toe 10 the ground.
When our Canton cOmpradore was shown
Chusan shoe, the exclamation was she
yaw! how can Walkee 60 fashionf" nor
would he be convinced that such was
the case - The toes, doubled under the
foot l have been describing, could only
be moved by tho hand sufficiently to show
that they,were not actually grown INTO the
feet" gsi rcEep. .''a- 7lr
| have often been astonished at seeing
how we'll the women coutrived to walk
| in their tiny pedestals. Their gait is not
unlike the little mincing walk of the
French ladies'; they were constantly 10
be seen going about without the aid of
any stick, and Il have often seen them at
| Macao contending against fresh breeze
with a tolerabIy good sized umbrella
spread The little children, as they
scrambled away before US, balanced them.
selves with their arms extended. and re>
minded one much of an old hen between
walking and flying. 30 r..a E'. a.i
| An The women 7 saw about Ghusan had
small feet. 1t is a igenral CHARACTERISTIC
of true Chinese descent, and there CAM
not be greater mistake than to suppose
that il is confined to higher orders though
it NAV be true that they take more pains
| to compress the foot to The smallest d.
/ mensions than the lower class do. Illg /
and low, rich and poor, all more or less
follow the custom; andnwhen you see
large or natural sized FOOT you may de-
pend upon it the possessOr is not OF true
n Chinese blood, but is either Of Tartar ex
traction, or belongs to the tribes tina
| live and have theTT being on the waters =
The Tartar ladies', however, are falling
into this Chinese habit Of distortion, a
the accompanying edict olthes Empero
proves; for known good peoples 20
must not dress as you like i'm China
f YOU must follow the customs and habit
ofy1ur ancestors, and Wear your winte
and summer clothing GS1 the Emperor Z
, oneiof the elk boards 10 hall direct. If th
were the custom in England, how benefieil
il wouldbs TO our pockets and detT
i mental'to the tailors and mllineFs. IL
! rs now see what the EmPeror says ab6l
9 little feet Oh finding thatAHey we're con
= ing into vogue StnOng The eundefornt
daughters Of the MaRtchows. Not on
does he attack tho litll6tfeet, but II
. large Chi6esS sleeves which were cree
ing into fashion at cOurt!' Therefore,
check these misdemeanOrs, the usu
= Chinese 1emsdy was -fssurtud=tO, and
IAamilgs sdiet was launched, denogsi
them, threRtening ''tbe heads Of famiti
u with degradation and punishment ifth
4 did not put stop to such gross illegs
CT ties;" and his celestial majesty fuF,t
Ia goes on and tells the fair ones, '.by p
sisiingih their gulgall habilsS they. y
debarsthemselves fFom YIhe sposSibll
~ Of being IAhctaj,AE IAdiaFyQf hopoF,,