There are several opinions about when foot binding originated. Some people say that it originated from the Sui Dynasty, while others say that it was brought up by Su Shi in the Northern Song Dynasty. But in either case, it is obvious that women's foot-binding was to cater to the abnormal aesthetics of the patriarchal society at that time, while women's physical and mental health was completely ignored. From the three-inch embroidered shoes with various styles and exquisite workmanship in ancient times, it is enough to see how persistent men were at that time about the abnormal beauty of the "three-inch golden lotus".
It is said that the wind of foot-binding first arose in the court of Southern Tang Dynasty, which was a method used by dancers to make their dancing look lighter. Later, it spread to the outside of the palace and became the object of emulation by the rich, and men's admiration and infatuation with women's feet continued to heat up, so that foot-binding became a symbol of women's identity in the upper class, and the smaller the better. After the Ming Dynasty, the custom of foot-binding spread to civilian families, and every Chinese woman bound her feet and was ashamed of her natural "big feet" (also known as "Tianzu").
In the Qing dynasty, because women in the Qing dynasty had to learn to ride and shoot since childhood, there was no custom of foot binding, but Han women still insisted on the "three-inch golden lotus". Even in the period of the Republic of China, women wrapped in feet were still everywhere.