Chinese Foot Binding

As a status symbol in ancient China, foot binding has crippled thousands of women - women seeking beauty and acceptance in the form of tiny feet. For thousands of years, women intentionally broke their feet and wrapped them tightly, as to prevent them from growing. Called "three inch golden lotuses," bound feet were admired for ages - even after being outlawed women continued binding their own feet in secret. 

Listen to one Chinese woman's account of binding her own feet. Listen here.

Below, another person remembrance of foot binding in ancient China. I do need to warn you to watch this with caution - some sights and sounds may be displeasing.