The Women with the Lotus Feet

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22350, 22 February 1936, Page 30 (Supplement)

The Women with the Lotus Feet

Chinese pigtail has vanished in modern China as well ns the crippled feet, the " lotus feet " of the women. .Only up country the lotus feet are still seen on elderly women. Nobody knows the origin of this curious fashion which has existed for centuries in China, the most conservative country in the world; a custom accompanied by disease and inconvenience, and praised by their poets and other artists. Perhaps it was created because the men were fascinated by the women's curious way of walking, or because they were easily pursued 1 , To illustrate the conservatism of the Chinese I would like to tell you a true story of the lotus feet which at the r same time characterises women's position in the Land of the Mist. In a big city lived the family Fang, one of the first members of the Christian churoh; their two elder sons being the first Chinese to visit a missionary school. The president of - the ."Society against the Crippled v Feet," Mr. W., visited this progressive family of Fang, and they became the first people in their town to enrol as „ members. The eldest son was particularly enthusiastic about the new doc- •' trine. He promised to try to persuade the female members of the family not to tie up their feet in future —a gesture which, was considered verj r courageous ' at that time. But the women continued to walk with their lotus feet. The £ president, Mr. W., a missionary, asked 1 them why they did so. They begged him to believe that they had not changed their opinion, so far as the untying of other women's feet was concerned. "We can understand," they said, , you are surprised none of us has begun to untie our own feet—but —" they hesitated. "Perhaps you can adr vise us what is to be done?" Mr. W. suggested that the feet of the pretty, youngest daughter should be untied. However, everyone was "'against it. "There are many customs in cur country which foreigners cannot understand," they answered. " The marriage of this child has not yet been decided, and because the whole city still clings to* the old custom it may be difficult to find a bridegroom to her if she walks with big feet. She has to wart until after her marriage." "Well," Mr. W. replied, "this is different, with your other daughter who is over twenty years of age and whose wedding has already been fixed. This young girl will perhaps inaugurate < the new fashion." "Oh," explained the family, " this : case is still more difficult than that of : her younger sister. Certainly, her : marriage has already been decided on, t

By LILY S. KRUG

provided she retains her small feet. If we untie the feet it will not bo fair toward the bridegroom's family; the betrothal may be cancelled, and we are afraid of the scandal, which could easily result in a law suit. You see, she certainly has to wait until she is married." The next suggestion was to give the new idea a trial with the daughter-in-law. The whole family became upset, and the face of the mother darkened. The young husband took Mr. W. aside and declared that this proposal could not be carried out. Strangers know very littlo of Chinese" family customs if they think that daughters-in-law have to submit- to everything that the new family wishes. The girl had been married only a few months, and the young wife did not vet feel at home with her new family. She was very fond of her pretty appearance and proud of her small feet. Coming from a wellknown conservative family they would be shocked if their daughter untied her feet. Tho young husband begged the president not to mention it again. Mr. W. had to understand that the feet of the two girls- and the young woman must still remain bound. "But what about your own feet?" he asked the mother of the young Fang. She was a woman of 45 and tho most important member of the Chinese family. What Mrs. Fang arranged had to be done. "Impossible," she said, "quite impossible. I have to rush along downstairs and upstairs, from kitchen to cellar, as at home I have to take care of twenty people as well as my husband's assistants. And I have heard that tho untying of tho feet is so painful that the women cannot walk for months. All njy household will be upset by this operation. However, I promise you that when all my daughters are married and my daughter-in-law is able to take over my duties the unbinding of my feet will be done." . Once more Mr. W. tried —this time to persuade the. grandmother. Ho knew by his experiences it was hopeless, but he wanted to know what the old lady would answer.

"Dear sir," she said, "everything I have seen in China during the seventy years of my life was not so evil as the bad custom of the crippled feet—a custom that has caused disease and discomfort. But look, I am now 70 years old, and it would not matter what such an old woman does. However, I would not be able to walk ■ properly again. Therefore, I keep my feet which have carried me my whole life as they are, because any change would be very difficult at my age." , Thereafter Mr. W. took his hat saying good-bye, and the family Fang remained eager members of the "Society' for Prevention of Crippled Feet" just as before.