Work, Not Sex? the Real Reason Chinese Women Bound Their Feet
Girls who had their feet bound didn’t lead a life of idle beauty but rather served a crucial economic purpose, especially in the countryside, where girls as young as 7 weaved, spun and did work by hand, Bossen said.read MoreFoot-binding persisted for so long because it had a clear economic rationale: It was a way to make sure young girls sat still and helped make goods like yarn, cloth, mats, shoes and fishing nets that families depended upon for income — even if the girls themselves were told it would make them more marriageable.
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