he act of “footbinding” in China was a grotesque mutilation of the foot as well as an act to disempower women and enforce the concept of female chastity. Although horrific, Chinese women participated in this act for one thousand years. Deeply rooted in tradition, young girls were required to participate or face uncertain futures. The first documented cases of foot binding in the Chinese culture originated between the T’ang and Sung Dynasties (907-959 A.D.). Due to the Chinese society being predominantly patriarchal and patrilineal, Chinese women experienced disempowering acts that restrained their bodies and minds. Foot binding represented the symbol of beauty, femininity, and womanhood. Chinese men subjected women to the atrocious …show more content…
Emperor Li Yu was inspired by his favorite courtesan Yao-niang. The delicateness of dancing on her toes seduced Emperor Li Yu. Entranced by her beauty, he built her a golden lotus flower to dance upon. The sensuality of her dance inspired Li Yu to “bind her feet with strips of white silk, making them small and graceful and arched like a crescent moon.” In addition to the binding of feet prompted a specific type of gait. The alluring eroticism of dainty steps was enticing for men. The Emperor’s desire and attention to Yao-niang motivated other women to bind their feet. Originally, the practice of footbinding was reserved for women of the monarchy and elite social status. Eventually for unknown reasons the practice stretched across all social boundaries. It became the symbol of beauty, womanhood, femininity, and the ultimate sacrifice for Chinese …show more content…
Together matriarchs willingly defaced their daughter’s bodies to please the beauty standards of men. Mothers were responsible for binding their daughter’s feet. The social status of women as an inferior and inadequate gender motivated mothers to subject their young daughters to footbinding. Therefore, mothers were ultimately responsible for their daughter’s future desirability and sensuality. The size of the young girls feet translate into Fundamentally, a woman’s opportunity for power could only be derived from the size of her feet. Mothers were insistent and committing their daughter’s to the chastity of bound
I will be explaining the role of women in society in Bound Feet and Western Dress. The Chinese have traditions that are generations old and are very serious in their culture. These Chinese traditions have been deeply established. In Bound feet and Western Dress, a dispute between Chinese traditions and Westernization of Chinese women begin to emerge. The women in traditional China were treated unequally and were basically looked upon as property for their husband. The women were taken in by the husband’s family and had to always obey their husband and also had to take orders from the husband’s family as well.
The older women described a society that seems to be from another world. They talked about the practice of feet-binding, how people would laugh at the women with “big feet”. These women did not have any choices in their
Years later during the Ming and Ch’ing eras it became wide spread among all status levels. Footbinding is a mutilation of the feet by wrapping them up weeks upon weeks to force them into the shape of a lotus flower and keep them at a length of three inches. (p.366) “Small feet became a prestige item to such an extent that a girl without them could not achieve a good marriage arrangement and was subjected to the disrespect and taunts of the community.” (p.364). Eventually lower-class women began using binding to find wealthy husbands.
The treatment of females from the 18th century through the 21st century have only gotten worse due to society’s ignorant judgment of the gender. Of which, is the change from the previous housewife like actions to the modern day body figure. This repulsive transaction is perceived throughout literature. From the 19th century’s short story, “The Story of an Hour” written by Kate Chopin in 1894 and the 20th century’s poem, “Barbie Doll” composed by Marge Piercy in 1971.
Submission is a set of dominant behaviors involving the obedience of one person to another, which can be considered nowadays as an immoral intolerance. Submissiveness, generally directed towards women, has always existed throughout history. Even Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette’s short story “The Hand” brings out this oppressive notion at her times. Through the use of literary devices such as symbolism and characterization (which might also involve imagery), the author portrays this idea of women’s submissiveness to their husband’s dominance in a marriage.
Chen, Jo-shui. "Empress Wu and Proto-feminist Sentiments in T'ang China." In Imperial Rulership and Cultural Change in Traditional China, edited by Frederick P. Brandauer and Chün-chieh Huang. 77-116. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1994.
When one thinks about female traits or characteristics within the Asian culture you are likely to think of obedience and even docility. This can especially be true of Chinese women. Why is this? Where did this behavior and belief system originate? Many scholars and cultural behaviorists would argue that Ban Zhao and Confucius played a pivotal role in this behavioral construct. Confucian teachings are the foundation upon which much of Asian society and culture have been erected. Confucius’ teachings focused on the importance of family dynamics and the need for children to obey and serve their parental figures. Confucius also stressed the need to exercise restraint and to treat others as you would have them treat you. Ban Zhao was the
The ancient Chinese custom of footbinding caused severe life-long suffering for the Chinese women involved. When researching the subject of footbinding, one of the difficult things is finding factual knowledge written before the 20th century. Most of the historical data has been gathered from writings, drawings and photographs from the 19th and 20th centuries. Additionally, the research indicates that the historical documentation was mainly from missionary accounts and literature from various anti-footbinding societies. These groups had a bias because of their opposing viewpoints. The first documented reference to footbinding was from the Southern Tang Dynasty in Nanjing (Vento 1).
Her chief arguing points and evidence relate to the constriction of female sexuality in comparison to male sexuality; women’s economic and political roles; women’s access to power, agency, and land; the cultural roles of women in shaping their society; and, finally, contemporary ideology about women. For her, the change in privacy and public life in the Renaissance escalated the modern division of the sexes, thus firmly making the woman into a beautiful
Confucian beliefs dictated how the children were raised according to their gender. At the time of a girl’s birth, she is placed below the bed and given a piece of broken pottery. As a female, being placed beneath the bed signifies her low rank. The piece of pottery symbolizes her duty to practice house labors and primary duties. Later in their childhood, girls were expected to stay behind in the women’s quarters and were forbidden to go out often. From their young age, they were also taught not to disrespect authority; the authority being a male. This emphasizes the patriarchal hierarchy of
Over a span of several decades, Wu Zetian inalterably changed life in China for woman as well the clergy and the poor. By doing so, she left a perpetual footprint on China’s long history that transcends the mere fact that she was the first woman to rule the “Red Dragon”.
... Song times was sometimes blamed on Neo-Confucianism. Foot-binding also began during the Song Dynasty. This is the practice of binding the feet of girls with long strips of cloth to keep them from growing large. Moms wanted them to be judged more beautiful.
The biological differences that set apart the male and female gender throughout any culture remain eminent. Men are perceived as the stronger and dominant gender; women play the role of the weaker. In each culture the expectation of the manner in which men and women behave are influenced by the ideals and customs of that culture. In most predominant cultures, the man undertakes the role as a leader, and the woman devotes her life to the husband. Throughout history, traditions and literature provide a template to the identities of various cultures. Sleeping Beauty’s classic tale of a beautiful princess takes a central precept that previous patriarchal archetypes dominated during the 17th Century. The archetypal perceptions of women resulted from conscious and unconscious literature influenced by male-dominated perspectives and social standards.
In the analysis of the issue in question, I have considered Mary Wollstonecraft’s Text, Vindication of the Rights of Woman. As an equivocal for liberties for humanity, Wollstonecraft was a feminist who championed for women rights of her time. Having witnessed devastating results or men’s improvidence, Wollstonecraft embraced an independent life, educated herself, and ultimately earned a living as a writer, teacher, and governess. In her book, “A Vindication of the Rights of Woman,” she created a scandal perhaps to her unconventional lifestyle. The book is a manifesto of women rights arguing passionately for educating women. Sensualist and tyrants appear right in their endeavor to hold women in darkness to serve as slaves and their plaything. Anyone with a keen interest in women rights movement will surely welcome her inexpensive edition, a landmark documen...
In the short story, “Girl,” the narrator describes certain tasks a woman should be responsible for based on the narrator’s culture, time period, and social standing. This story also reflects the coming of age of this girl, her transition into a lady, and shows the age gap between the mother and the daughter. The mother has certain beliefs that she is trying to pass to her daughter for her well-being, but the daughter is confused by this regimented life style. The author, Jamaica Kincaid, uses various tones to show a second person point of view and repetition to demonstrate what these responsibilities felt like, how she had to behave based on her social standing, and how to follow traditional customs.