10 Disturbing Practices That Were Considered Normal in Ancient China
From marrying the deceased and eating lice to voluntary self-castration.
1. ‘Sexy’ Deformed Lotus Feet
The practice of foot-binding was allegedly inspired by Yao Niang, a court dancer from the 10th century, who tightly bound her feet into the shape of a crescent moon, to entrance Emperor Li Yu. She danced on her toes, which were wrapped inside a six-foot golden lotus that was decorated with precious stones and ribbons.
From the time when the practice originated, it was considered to have erotic overtones. Over time, it became a status symbol as it started to represent female refinement at its best.
Much like the tiny waist in Victorian England, the tiny foot gained popularity in China. Foot size translated into a kind of currency of its own, which allowed women to achieve upward social mobility. The most desirable woman was the possessor of the ‘golden lotus,’ which was a three-inch foot. A four-inch foot was known as ‘silver lotus,’ while feet longer than five inches were dismissed as ‘iron lotuses.’
To prepare the feet for ‘lotus-ing,’ they were first dipped into hot water, the nails were clipped, the feet were oiled and massaged, and all the toes (except the…
