The Disappearance of Foot-Binding in Tinghsien

Abstract

Foot-binding among Chinese women began about one thousand years ago. It spread gradually until in 1650 it was so firmly established that the Emperor K'ang Hsi was unable to enforce a ban against it. In a group of rural families living in Tinghsien, Hopei Province, less than 1 per cent of the women born before 1890 had unbound feet. Among those born after 1890, the proportion with bound feet decreased steadily until in this particular group of families the custom was entirely discontinued after 1919. This study was part of a social survey made by the Chinese National Association of the Mass Education Movement.