Antique Chinese sock for lotus feet - (2414)

Socks like these were worn by women with ‘lotus feet’. A girl who had no lotus feet would practically be unable to find a good husband. Lotus feet were in fact a very painful deformation caused by forcefully folding the front part of the foot under the sole of the foot. The result was a very small foot. The smaller the foot, the more attractive the girl became. The practice of foot binding was typical for the Han-majority in China. The ruling Manchu-class which were in charge in China during the Qing period (1644 – 1912) did not bind the feet of their women. This sock has been woven with a design of bamboo, plum blossoms and presumably pine branches (which we cannot detect however). These three are called the ‘Three Friends of Winter’. All three are Longevity symbols. There’s only one sock which dates from the late Qing period (1644 – 1912). Height 22 cm. Length of the foot is 15.5 cm which is the average length of a lotus shoe. Final shipping cost will be based on actual postage. The difference will be reimbursed.