Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-03-01
CHINESE LADIES. FEET.
4 Psdal Extremity Two Inches IN Esngth
the IDOL Of = Chinamnn,


At i've years Of age the rich ChinamSn's
daughter has her foot 90 firmly bound that,
In the native phrase, the whole is killed
The foot below the instep, explains a writer
in the New York Ledger, Is pressed into
line with the leg, to add to the height Of tn,
little sufferer, while two Of the toes art
bent under the sole, that its breadth may
be only Of the least dimensiona The agony
of such process IL would be hard to esti
uste; but il is said 10 last about six weeks.
when, suppose, the wasting Of all the
parts, and the ce sation Of many Of their
functions, have rendered the whole insensi-
ble to pain.
This insensibility to pain Is, perhaps, con-
fined to the outer parts, for the chief per-
son belonging to the temple on the Island Of
Honam stated that his sister suffered much
anguish in the sole of the foot, or rather, in
its lower and more central parts.
To some inquiries as to whether this prac-
tice Of destroying the foot was not attended
with similar evils in after-life, be said no |;
and as he was man Of intelligence, his YER
dict may be relied upon. Among the multi
tudes who come for health and cure TO the
hospitals, no one has yet been met with
whose ailments could be imputed to this
source. This is q curious fact, and such as
might well lead us to desire more intimate
acquaintance with the anatomy of this NOR
bid organ, that we might see how nature,
under the pressure of so great a calamity
has contrived to maintain the intercourse
of the arterial and nervous system, and
keep the limb from being materially injured
by 1t.
The development of the muscles which
form the calf Of the leg being checked, the
limb consequently tapers from its socket
down to the foot, without any risings or in
Elections. This Is regarded as the perfection
of beauty by the Chinese, who say that the
knee Of the female is not protuberant, like
the knee Of the male, and is so well covered
that she can remain kneeling q long time
without inconvenience 1t is perhaps less
throughout its length than when the foot is
allowed 70 retain its natural size; but
whether this is from want of exercise,
which ever acts as q stimulus to muscular
deformity, or from the lack of nu:rimen
through functional disturbance, 1 can no
take upon me to say; but / susi ect the for.
mer is the real cause; otherwise the mat
ter would grow from bad to worse, till the
whole was destroyed by atrophy.
A foot two inches in length is the idol Of
Chinaman, on which he lavishes the most
precious epithets which nature and Ian
guage can supply. But Its beauties are al
together ideal; for when stripped of it's gay
investments, it is a piteous mass of lifeless
integument, which resembles the skin of
washerwoman's hand after it has under
gone long maceration in soap and water
The sight of it is well fitted to excite our
compassion, not our commendation-a beau
tiful limb crushed into heap of deformity
The thought Of seeing a Chinawoman's
foot might awaken a smile; but think ]
might defy the most merry-hearted to
laugh when the loosened bandages dis.
closed the sad reality TO his eyes. But fancy
has played her part so we'll that this piec,
Of ruined nature, which is seldom seen BY
men, is treated as the prime essential Of al
feminine beauty.
1.-THE foot Of a Chinese woman" said Il
Chinese acquaintance, sis very hand
some, so that it is great pity to spoil it.
He smiled with much satisfaction at tht
compliment, but would only allow that it in
terfered with the gait. ''They can moi
walk 80 WE'LL" was the amount Of his con
cession in my favor. He was so blessed as
not to know the real state Of this organ, anc
therefore his admiration had no alloy.
Custom rendered my eye so familiar t.
the small foot that Chinese lady woul6
scarcely seem to be complete withoutit; bu
i5 was my misfortune to see it unmasked,
and therefore could not sympathize will
him. To show that there is great privac,
about this small foot, need only mention
that the servant when her mistress PRO
ceeded to unwind the bandages, blusheo
and turned her face to the wall.