"I remember when my mother pointed to a stone, and she said this was the kind of stone people used to place on the feet of the baby girls to stop them trying to climb away and unbind their feet"
- Jung Chang
About this Quote
This quote by Jung Chang talks to the practice of foot binding in China, which was a custom-made that lasted for centuries. It was a painful process that included securely covering the feet of young girls in order to keep them little and dainty. The quote speaks with the memory of the speaker's mom, who indicated a stone and described that it was the sort of stone utilized to keep the feet of infant girls bound. This quote speaks to the ruthlessness of the practice, as it was used to prevent girls from being able to move freely and get away the binding. It likewise talks to the power of memory, as the speaker keeps in mind the minute her mother indicated the stone and discussed its purpose. This quote acts as a pointer of the pain and suffering sustained by young girls in the past, and the significance of keeping in mind and honoring their stories.