Ways of the World: Chapter 9
China and the World
East Asian Connections
China has always been a huge country, dominating Eastern Asia with it's massive population, booming economy and innovations. Despite the collapse of the Han dynasty in 220 C.E, the result of three centuries of political dysfunction, China was able to pick itself back onto it's feet, and regained a sense of unity under tne new Sui dynasty in 589. The following dynasties were the Tang and the Song, and established a period in China known as the 'golden age' of arts and literature for it's high standards of poetry, literature and arts.
The golden age in China, was not exactly the best time for individuals within the society. The Song dynastyh was the start of the brutal tradition of foot binding. The girls feet were essentially broken and reshaped in order to restrict mobility and therefore give them men even more power over them. It was also seen as a symbol of beauty and eroticism and even though the procedure was dangerous (and sometimes deadly), women would go to lengths to put their daughters through the binding process as it symbolized a higher class.
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