Many men in the 21st century find big breast and a big rear end a very attractive quality on a woman, but in China during the 10th to 20th century (Ward 530), two and three inch feet's were the most attractive part of a woman. Many people do not realize the importance or the reasons behind foot binding, but then again many people do not realize the important behind cultures they are not involved in.
To obtain these two to three and a half inches feet, girls would have their feet bound as early as the age of two. The time the ceremony for a girl's feet binding would all depended on the family and their beliefs, sometimes it would be in the beginning of autumn so that the cold weather could help numb the feet during her critical first months. Others thought that on the girl's birthday was the best day because they believed that the girl's feet were their softest on that day.
Chinese shoes for bound feet, The Children's Museu...
X-ray of bound feet, China
The so-called "Lily feet" (right) contrasted with ...But most believed the nineteenth day of the lunar month, the birthday of Kuan Yin, (Lee) the goddess of mercy was the best day for the ceremony. Her name meaning "she who looketh down and hears the cries of the world" was supposed to hear the girl's cries and give mercy. (Lee) It was normally the father who performed the ceremony, but sometimes a close family member or friend would be the ever so daring helping hand. The event of a daughter's ceremony was one of the most important, and proud days in a mother's life. This is the day that her daughter would be able to socialize with her friends, or be introduced to new friendships. It was also the day that the mother was able to show off her daughter to her friends,