The last foot-binding survivors: Chinese grandmothers uncover their deformed 'lotus feet' - a symbol of beauty less than a century ago

最后一代缠足幸存者：奶奶揭秘莲足-一个世纪前的审美

British photographer Jo Farrell has spent the past 13 years documenting women with bound feet in China

英国摄影家乔花费13年时间记录裹足妇女资料

In the past, women with tiny feet were thought to be beautiful and were more likely to find a good husband

过去，妇女以小脚为美，并能因此嫁个好人家

Though most women were forced to have their feet bound, some chose to do it for a better future

大部分妇女被逼裹足，但也有部分为了嫁得好自愿裹足

The controversial custom was largely abolished in 1912, but carried on for another 30 years in rural villages

这个陋习在1912年被大规模废除，但在偏远乡村继续流行了30年。

It used to be something millions of women dreamt to have: a pair of tiny feet no longer than four inches.

一对三寸金莲的纤纤玉足，曾是无数妇女梦寐以求的。

Girls as young as five would have layer after layer of bandage wrapped over their toes every single day for a decade to get the desirable 'lotus feet'.

不到5岁的女童，为了打造“莲足”，每天要把脚趾头用棉布层层包裹，一裹就是十年。

Although such feature is considered deformed and shocking in the modern eyes, less than 100 years ago in China it could not only gain its female owner respect from their family, but also secure her a decent husband.

虽然以摩登眼光看来，这样的小脚畸形得让人震惊，但在不到100年前的，裹足不仅能让妇女获得家庭的尊重，还能为她们谋一门体面的亲事。

A best pair of bound feet, called 'golden lotus feet', should measure three cun (four inches) in length by Chinese measurement; while the next in the rank, 'silver lotus feet', should be four cun (5.2 inches). Women with such feat would wear beautiful embroidered shoes to show off their tiny feet.

一对完美的裹足，被称为金莲，长度三寸；次之是银莲，长度四寸。拥有小脚的妇女可以穿上绣花鞋展示她们的莲足。

The controversial custom dates back over 1,000 years to China's Tang Dynasty and reached its peak in the Qing Dynasty which lasted from the 17th to the early 20th century.

这个极具争议性的陋习是1000年前的唐代开始的，到了17世纪至20世纪早期的清代达到了鼎盛。

It was largely abolished - together with feudalism - after the founding of the Republic of China in 1912. However in rural areas, the custom carried on exsting until 1940s.

连同封建主义，这个陋习在1912年中华民国成立时被大规模废除。但在偏远的农村地区，这个陋习一直持续到1940年。

Today, there are very few women in China who have had their feet bound. Most of them are in their 90s and live in remote villages.

如今，仅存为数不多的裹足妇女，其中大部分均已达90高龄，仍住在偏远乡村。

评论翻译：

译文来源：三泰虎 http://www.santaihu.com/44329.html

1.I could never ever put my daughter through that even if it meant her being a spinster and staying with me all her life.

就算我女儿一辈子嫁不出去，我也绝对不会让我女儿受这个苦。

2.My grandmother was born in 1916, she passed two years ago. She had her feet bound when she was 4 or 5. They were exactly like this, the toes were bent under the feet and the arch was broken. She said, she would cry every night because it was so painful, but was not allowed to unwrap the bandages or risk a beating. She told me that on the surface, it was a sign of beauty, respect, wealth and honor. But she said, in reality, it was a parents way of ensuring she would be married, and man's way of ensuring his wife stayed put at home. She couldn't walk very far, go to town, do any shop.

我奶奶生于1916年，2年前过世了。她4、5岁时也被缠足了，脚趾头弯向脚板，根本没有足弓。她曾经告诉我说，每天晚上痛得直哭，但就是不准解掉绑布，不然就要被打。大家都认为小脚是所谓美，低位，富裕，体面的象征，但实际上只是方便父母确保她能出嫁，丈夫确保她整日呆在家中。她根本走不了远路，更别提上街，购物。

3.Such cruelty perpetrated against women by men, thank goodness this practice is at an end.

这简直是男性施加给女性的残酷暴行。谢天谢地，都结束了。

继续阅读：缠足   莲足   奶奶   审美   小脚   妇女   三寸金莲

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