The evening times., 1900-04-09
TIEN TSU Hal OF CHINA
A Society to Re-estabIish Natural
Feet for Oriental Women.

Feet for Oriental Women.
NEW YORK, April s.-"The Tien Tsu
Hail." or Natural Feet Society. is said to
be due to the enthusiasm and unremitting
Iabors of Mrs. Little, an English woman,
who lives at Chung King. China, on the
upper Yang-Tsi, about two thousand miles
from Shanghai.
It was in June 1895. during the excite
ment caused by the Chinese japanese war.
while in Shanghai on a visit that Mrs.
Little formed this society. She enlisted
the sympathies Of foreign resident women.
appointed committees in various places to
aid in the distribution of literature. held
meetings and offered prizes for essays.
In the fall of the year the American
Episcopal Mission held meeting at
Chung King, in favor of this movement,
embracing nearly all OF the foreign COM
munity. A local committee was formed
with a representative of each English
speaking community upon it. These mis-
sionaries agreed to unite in the work, and
were Joined by some Chinese who had oeen
previously interested. The result was the
formation Of an Anti-Footbinding Society
with a foreign and Chienese secretary.
Mrs. Little says:
I'VE of the society try to influence pub
lie opinion by literature. and leave IL 10
missionaries TO make individual converts.
American missionaries are particularly
Jealous and successful.
This custom of footbinding dates back
oRe thousand years, and until the women
of China are released from this terrible
bondage endured only to please the men,
there is no hope for China
Two and one-half inches is the proper
length for a Chinese woman's foot. Lit
girls while undergoing the binding, a.
tortured for three years, the bancages De-
ing frightened every five days II often
causes paralysis, and sometimes the 10
and feet drop of. More than one in ten
die during the operation. In some prov
:nces rich and poor alike bind their feet.
Its horrors cannot be exaggerated. Every
thing in China moves with tTeme ndous
slowness, particularly innovations. and the
reformers expect il will take century or
more to make the change complete
"The greatest problem TO be overcome Is
the aversion of Chinese men to marrying
women whose feet are not squeezed INTO
deformed objects bearing little or no re-
semblance to the natural foot. woman
whose foot is anywhere near the size na-
ture intended is an oUtcast so far IS mat
rfrnony is concerned. The meu think il
disgrace to marry her. and an unmarried
woman is a burden to her relatives and
herself.
The Bombay Undia) Gazette says OF
this movement: Fortunately. several IL
iuential Chinese officials have eountenaBc-
ed the Western Ladies League ami ar
encouraging its operations. The most Sc
rious rebuff these well-meaHing women
receive was the Chinese wOmda's retort,
well. if We DO bind our feet We don'i
bind our waists.
Now. however. literary graduate
named Chou. a resident OF Saifu SZecnuaD.
has issued q manifesto, which has been
endorsed by five other citizens Of Saifu-
and their associates are asked to support
it, Chou declares that no crime IS more
criminal than disobeGiCEce to tae Empe-
ror. and no injury more painful than tie
breaking Of bones 3nd siCews. The En-
peror Shun Chin and Confucius himself
taught men to respect. lot to injuTe. their
bodies and by binding their feet he de-
clared the preCepts Of the Emperor Shun
Chih and Of Confucius are ignored and set
at naught.
Il already know of two young men CT po-
sition who say they will not bind their liz
tie girls feet There are three little girls
here who have lost both their feet But
more than the physical suffering is the
inability 10 walk. and the hardening Of tire
mothers hearts to the sufferngs OF their
children When unbound. Of course the
feet DO not grow quite right. but the
women can walk. ard after a time are sres
from pain