The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-07-26
WOMAN IN THE CELESTIAL EMPIRE.

woman IS I'D moro degraded position IN
China than in any other part o, the globe,
and her humiliation is rendered more con.
spicuous by the exten; TO which civilization
and education have been carried in the en-
pre. In no rank is she regarded "a the
companion of lnau, but is treated solely as
the slave ofhis caprice and passions. Even
among tho females of the higher ranks few
are found who can read or write; their
education is confined to the ar, Of cmhroid-
cry, playing on horrid lhrcc-s,rngcd quit
ar, and singing; but the obligation of ODE.
dience 10 man is early inculcatcd. aud the
smoking and playing n, cards. The wo-
men the poorer classes have no education.
and can be considered but little better than
beasts Of burden. A msn o! that rank will
walk deliberately By bis wifc's side while
she tot,ers under heavy load, aud FRI.
Quently she NAV be seen ,"kcd tn plough.
while her husband guides il! Those ol the
lower classes who are good looking. acror
ding to Chinese ideas of beauty. arc pur-
chased by the rich, II, about twelve nr four
teen years, as cnncnbines, and are then in.
s,rucicd according 10 their masters idca.-
Tho Chinese cannot nj NIL comprehend tho
European mode Of treating ladies' with 20.
spcct and Difference, and being naturally
eupcrstitious, attribute to deyilish arts. prac.
tised BY the fair sex, the just appreciation
we entertain of their value: in short they
consider European ladies have an influence
somewhat similar 10 that ascribcd To an evil
eye by Italian superstition. Chinese do.
mestcs havc o very great objection 10 re.
side in European family over which n In.
dy presides; and an old tradition Of theirs
curiously comedies with their superstition
about our temalcs-'ha, CHM should never
bc conquered until n woman reirned in tho
far West Some cav that this prophecy
was never heard Of until thev were con.
CURED by the army Of Queen Nictoria..--
BE this rs il may they all con,ended III q,
il il to be found in some Of their odcs,
works.
Many traditions arc cxtant in China rcla.
tive to woman; and amongst other legands
the horrible practice OF dcinrming the IL,
male feet IL thus said 10 have commenced.
wns found by her lord and master near the
apartment Of one Of the great officers Of The
court, who had the reputation osbcing very
handsome. Receiving from the Emperor u
torrent III abuses for her misconduct, she
pleaded in her defence, that il was not her
fault but that Of her feet, which were SO
very large they took her 10 tho spot soralv
against her will. The Emperor immediate
ly ordered the forcpar, Of her feet 10 be
amputaied. Such is the origin of the Grip
Piled foot, which from this time became the
fashion. The appearance Of these distorted
cxtrcmities, which arc mere tapering
stumps, is mos, disgusting to mn Europenn
eve. Immediately niier the birth Of le-
male, her toes are doubled down, the biz
toe is made 10 overlap, and hanaaces IRE
thon applied with IN incredible amount a
pressure; MS age advances. the whole be-
comes one mass OF filth and abhorrod hu.
mors.
A surgeon, who Ind unbound and OK
smined the foo, ola Chinese lady. has rs
surcd me that the c.i.nyium nrisng from
Il was more aoilenSsc, aud the sight more
disgusting, than nny thing he had ever vi,
messed IN dissecilng- The iianaaues
employed are made III silk, which arc rarely
removed, and these are covered with fresh
ones from time u time. aud over MI the
dwarEshoe IA secured, the pointed toe ofl
which is stuffed with cotton. Owing 10
their manned feet, the women cannot walk
any distance, even with the assistance 81
sticks or cruiches. which they always use
in the house. The hobhing melton Of one
WIN a,tomps to 10 81 is considered most
graceful BY tho Chinese; and ladies' who
essay the exploit. arc POLITICALLY called "1o,-
iering Willows" Women Of the higher
order, when they 20 abroad. nrc carried in
sedan chairs or hoais, but those who can.
not afford to command such cquipages are
carried on the backs Of men, or of women
Who are blessed with undelormed feet. Tn
the families Of the wealthy inhaLi,a n,s. all
tho daughters are manned for life; bu,
among poorer classes, it there nrc two or
more daughters, one is always deprived o,
pedestrian power, md she is hence inyari.
ably considered superior to her sisters, and
may become n rife. The others can never
become moro than handmads, excep, they
intermarry with the very lowest
This horrid end Lars arons taste ia most
nnaccountablc in nation where tie nndis-
toricd natural foot Of woman il the very
model Of beauty; tho high ins,ep is equal 10
tho Andalnsian. aud the arch II the sole RI
walls that Of tho Arab; the ANGLES. which in
the distorted foo, becomes revol,ingly thick,
rs symmetry itself. Such foo, Of course.
can only be seen among the lower classes.
The whole female character seems to be
completely changed h. the barherous prac-
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