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Foot Binding

In ancient China, foot binding was an act practiced for nearly one thousand years. In the chinese culture, there was a common perception that a woman with small feet (shorter than six inches) is an atractive woman who will get married, whereas a woman with feet longer than 6 inches will not get married. As a result, there was foot binding which aimed at keeping women's feet small and preventing them from growing and developing normally.
At age 6, young chinese girls would have each of their feet soaked in a warm mixture of herbs and animal blood. Then their toenails would be cut as far as possible to prevent infections. After that each of their toes would be broken and tightly wrapped with bandages, soaked with the same mixture, that will compress after drying. Tightly pulling their toes downwards to the heels. This process puts little chinese girls into excruciating pain and will later lead to certain disabilities (that are now prevailing among some elderly chinese women).
Later on, several governmental laws were set to put a stop to this terrible, inhumane act.

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Photo Credit: Wikimedia.

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