New book by Beverley Jackson
A thousand years ago in China, the curious custom of breaking and binding the feet into the shape of a pointed lotus bud began. Since then, generations of women and girls have tottered through life on three- to four-inch "lotus" feet encased in exquisitely embroidered, excruciatingly tiny "lotus" shoes. How and why did the torturous tradition of footbinding evolve and continue well into the 20th century? Did the men make them do it? Was it an erotic turn-on? Or was it a way to keep women and girls under male control? There are as many fanciful myths, legends, and fairy tales about the origins of footbinding as there are cultural, historical, and sociopolitical explanations for it. Splendid Slippers is an aesthetic, highly personal, and deeply respectful exploration of the facts and the fiction surrounding this fascinating and little-studied erotic custom. Initially drawn to the extraordinary beauty of the shoes themselves, the author then became captivated by the women who created them and wore them--by their marvelous creativity, and by their terrible suffering. Note: You can click on any image to see a larger version of it. Picture on first page: Eroticism at it's most subtle and elegant. The elevated position of the red lotus slipper protruding through the bed curtains suggests that the wearer's foot is resting on her lover's shoulder. Gouache on paper from an erotic album. (From a private collection)
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