Are There Still Bound Feet in China?

Yes, occasionally you can still see women with bound feet here. They are quite old and it is rare to see someone with bound feet. They have a very distinctive type of walk and very tiny feet, so it strikes you as quite strange if you happen to spot someone. I was up north in the Bei Chen neighborhood one day sitting on a bench and a little old lady goes shuffling by me with her bound feet. It was so unique. They have to wear special shoes made for them. I have seen bound feet only three times in the five years I have been in China. The women appear to be in their 80's to 90's. A 90-year-old woman would have been born in 1919. That sounds about right historically, because in the 1920's, and even earlier, the government was sponsoring programs to put a stop to foot binding. It is a very painful process started at a young age. The young girl's feet cannot develop properly because they are broken and tightly wound up, so they cannot grow big. The result is a deformed little pointed foot that takes years of pain to achieve. These tiny deformed feet were considered beautiful, but they rendered the girl a virtual cripple her whole life! What a strange cultural practice.