, 1877-10-31
A CHINESE CUSTOM.


A CHINESE CUSTOM.
How tho Feet Of Girls Arc comprcsscsl.
Tho Rev. Mr.. Doolitt1c. IN Enrlish mis-
eionarY, Il, hook on everyday life Of tho Chi
Hcse. writes ~ follows on tho subject Of conf
prcssfng tho feet of Chinese females: The dis
t[lictton between The sfzc nnd shape Of the feet
OF the women constitutes The caste Of Chnn, II
there he ANYTHING which constitutes ensto IN
this Empire. Tho common pcop1c nolti'sr know
NOR caro- anytlng a'.nt tho origin Of thu e,'sto'n
q cotlitscstiug the feet Of small girls. Few III
the literary class seem to have any clear opinion
N regard e. It's origin; Same SAY TINT an En-.
drnasty, originated tile custom. She hnd club
iect. aisd prevailed upon her husband, In ortrr to
.t',ccal the defnrnts. 10 cause ali ttc a'les nf
hls Court to compress Or batltaagc their feet. In
like hers Others kny that The prnei!ce hogan
IN the time u the Tang tsnssty, which 10ur.
iahed about thousand ycars aao. PuanR-lil,
tagorite eonsu1,n" u 'I'ng.llaael'o. aeord:
binding lier own feet. Dyhegrees people initial.
Cd her example until the custom prevailed IN all
tho provinces Of the Empire. Tho aomtna,,t
race in the Empire, tic Mal,rhu Tartars, do not
It units beauty !or entrance lnto the lmpera!
harcm, The penalty Is Instant death should
any enall-footcd female enter the Imperial
palace at pcktu-at least, sueh Is tho common
about . or I, years OF ago are compressed bY
ban'iagnR. To prevent tho further gruwth and
10 rct'nee tfctn to tho form and appearance 80
China. for this purpose tis foot Is extended
NJ te ankle the tlesiy TART OF tue heel is press
81 dosFnwar1 a1i lnrward. and tho cnstre fo<s
u carefully wound with long lIandaEc from
INC ankle TO t!ie extremity Of inc toes and back
aGan. II will l,c readily understood tint thts
process checks the circulation Ut tho bluUd niitt
retasLs or entirely prevents the further growth
OF inc loot, inc small toes arc naturally. or
rather nnnaturally. crowded M fogctllcF and totne-
What benz under tito loot. The loot Is prevent.
60 from spreading out, A. when tic weight ol
thc bo'ly Is thrown Upon u as IN st'tto nt Tree
ooifa. IL eecomes very narrow ann tancfinE 70
point at the cnd q tl|e E Efent to- Iite ,nsfep
bce?Hcs titinattral!T prominent, ana tue o.,
ca'ea, or bone which forms ts'e ooetom and
posterior part OF the licei. Is somewhat turned
dnwa"atti. Thc loot compressed ts r.asea IN
short, HARROW shoe, tarcrinc to a no,sit, al,u
sometimes q block 9l wootl is used, 50 support
Ing tns hcel that The body seems to stand on
ilptoca, tiic Accl belhg IRON ono 10 Two 1tiches
gsr tan the sos rnond no deg' nso c, ca;cnas
slloe, 30 Tint LOOT really 1oaF or hvc incIlss
long Will easily stand N nn!t upon shoe only
ti!rrc or tllrco a',u hali nlshes u, !gaEt tns
the. instcp bcinl. very promaincnt. The organs
uf locotnotton present TO western observers
very unrouth nppcarnnce.
Usually u requires Two or three years, prop.
NliJ Hs>NHN@A tVl s"~ - w w - 4'""'S'N
Into tho gentccl at'ape. Ihcre IS no IRON U
woodcn ha'oo used Tor coinprcssin4 TUG Jcet.
The Instruments employed are strips OF sinth
like harrow bantaEcs. Ilic inot gradually
shrfnks nti al,riscls up. When the 1atdages are
rctnurcti, lor thn sake III Wnsllh t'o icct, Or OF
ban1aEc tighter, tho small toes after months Or
years Of compression, arc lnaUlG IN resume tlicr
natural appearauca And position, but fcmalu
era1npcd nnti nrc almost without sensation.
When the nfoccss ls begun at TIC proper ngc
nuu the bnnuaClaG Is properly attet>hea 10, t'lo
heel sometimes c91ncs do~h 10 INC grouni, or
rather to tho Level Of tho emu ot tic large toe.
lho bccl seems, llistscr tic nrocese OF uahloE-
Ing, to clonEate, but when the loot IS fnrgc anl
almost full EruWn. before tho cnmprcssInE
tegfls. the heel ottcntlTes cannot bo brought
block Is put ln tug slloe under tho 'cgl 4" that
tho bottom ol tho bnck atta tlo tfItl ot ttsu foo
R!!ail be nearly on the easne leScl as INC Ole %
which tho Individual Ia nta",tinc. Really hhc
walks on s'er ssr.saes and !:ee!s. ihe ahhie or
instep bulge outward IN front. !lt senteel
Shoe for tlie bal,uageu tnct r. antt three Inches
on tho eolc sometimes tho shoes nrc oren shorter
than three Englls' tnellcs. lilo toes nnt| tho
ltcula arc thrust as inicli as toss!bie INTO TUG
shoe ast tho slloe IN teh tastcslcd UPON tue rest
of the foot, lcnying the button portion af tho
aioo vlhlb!G: fho upper part OK tho loot Is
always 1n4rll larger tlan tlle Stoc, ailti bcitaG
ba1luagcu about WIN clot! tnG "hoto uae the
appearance ol 4 eI1ib loot llle toes anu the
mart uf tho loot III tlc stuo llayc moro or !chs
cloth or strips OF elots wrahoeu afomna tne,fi.