英国摄影师法雷尔 (Jo Farrell) 想记录下中国几乎快消失的文化:裹小脚。
![British photographer Jo Farrell is documenting a tradition that is dying out with China’s oldest women: foot binding.](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-6590-1434625022-9.jpg)
裹小脚又称「缠足」,通常会在女孩4到9岁,脚背还没完全发育好之前裹。
裹小脚前,脚要先泡在温热的药草和动物血中,接着将脚趾扳到脚底,并用纱布裹好。
![After soaking in warm herbs and animal blood, the toes would be curled over to the sole of the foot and bound with cotton bandages.](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-4577-1434623008-7.jpg)
脚背和脚趾在施压过程中会断裂,一阵子后会打开裹脚布,接着再绑紧,之后再一次一次越裹越紧。裹小脚最好不要由母亲动手,因为怕母亲的「舍不得」会害女儿的脚裹得不好看。
一般普遍认为裹小脚最早出现在中国10世纪左右,对象是当时宫内的舞者,之后慢慢普及到民间。
![The tradition is thought to have originated among the upper-class court dancers Imperial China around the 10th Century before spreading to the lower classes.](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-32424-1434622225-17.jpg)
由于缠足的女人无法自由走路,因此裹小脚被视为富有的象征 ─ 因为有钱人根本不需要东奔西跑。
![Since it affected their ability to walk, it came to be seen as a sign of wealth – the wealthiest of people didn’t need to walk or work in fields.](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-16599-1434625084-9.jpg)
从1600年开始,虽然有各种运动试图废除这项传统,但裹小脚直到20世纪初才消失。
法雷尔表示,他曾问同事目前是否还有裹小脚的女性活着,但大家都告诉他不可能。
![Farrell told BuzzFeed: “I asked colleagues if they knew of any women still alive with bound feet and they all said it was highly unlikely.”](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-11707-1434622203-7.jpg)
法雷尔一有机会就问人,终于有位司机告诉他,他的祖母就是当年裹小脚的女人之一,法雷尔立刻安排飞往山东与她 (张云英-仅取其发音) 见面。
张云英表示,虽然自己有些朋友一样有裹小脚,但她们拒绝接受采访。
![“A couple of her friends also had bound feet but they declined to be part of the project."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-30710-1434622246-10.jpg)
法雷尔拍了些她们围坐聊天吃西瓜的照片,并在2006年于伦敦画廊展出,2007年他返回山东并将作品集送给她们,而她们也表示想出现在法雷尔的下部作品集中。
法雷尔表示,当时担任他翻译的祖母苏惜荣 (仅取其发音)一样有小脚,且就住在60公里远左右,所以他一样前往拜访,并顺利让她加入摄影。
![“My translator’s grandmother (Su Xi Rong, pictured) also had bound feet and lived 60km away. So I went to her home and she became part of the project too.”](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-20585-1434623905-16.jpg)
法雷尔透过不断询问,一个个找到这些裹小脚的老婆婆,甚至搭车时他也眼尖地发现目标。
![“I have found women through word of mouth, even by driving past an old lady."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-22463-1434623572-7.jpg)
法雷尔在车上看见一位有着小脚的老婆婆,马上叫计程车停下来,并赶忙下车询问可否到她家拍摄。
!["I realised she had bound feet and stopped the taxi and ran after to her to ask if I could go home with her and photograph her feet.”](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-32569-1434624242-11.jpg)
这些女人都经历相当艰困的时期,像是缠足、文革、日本侵华与之后的大饥荒。
![“This generation of women have lived through incredible times: through foot binding, the Cultural Revolution, Japanese invasion, and the Great Famine."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-6072-1434624874-9.jpg)
她们曾以脚的大小和形状为荣。
!["Once they were praised for the size and shape of their feet."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-32546-1434624790-9.jpg)
但随后却在同个文化下,经历很长时间的污蔑和羞愧。
!["But they have also gone through a long period where they were vilified and made to feet ashamed and embarrassed by the very same tradition."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-22841-1434625333-11.jpg)
当时裹小脚不只是为了追求美丽,同时也是必要的选择,因为没裹小脚的女人无法嫁入同阶层人家过好生活。
!["The practice of binding feet was not only considered beautiful, it was considered necessary in order to get married and to have a better life."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-29746-1434624127-7.jpg)
当法雷尔问她们,如果时间能重来,是否还愿意裹小脚时,多数老婆婆回答「不」。
!["When I ask them if they could go back, whether they would have their feet bound again, the majority of them say no."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-12305-1434622342-7.jpg)
但原因大多是,在经历长时间的乱世,她们必须下田工作,而非坐着让人伺候。
!["But this is largely because as peasant farmers during these harsh times they had to work in the fields rather than be sedentary."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-19818-1434622899-15.jpg)
法雷尔表示,她们似乎仍以小脚自豪,会不断强调自己的脚有多小。
而今拿下裹脚布已有5、60年,她们的脚再度自然成长,但她们也达到「她们所谓的」美丽。
!["Having had their feet unbound for 50-60 years, their feet have naturally spread. But they achieved/attained the beauty of their society."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-11200-1434622917-12.jpg)
多数情况是,这些老婆婆年轻时,其实是自愿接受裹小脚,并没有受到母亲或家人的胁迫。
!["On dozens of occasions, these women bound their own feet as young girls, and were not pressurised into doing it by their mothers or family."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-24371-1434622799-7.jpg)
这是社会对她们的期许,当时镇上的女人几乎无一反抗。
!["It was a societal pressure. All the other girls in the village had their feet bound."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-31899-1434625059-8.jpg)
她们不希望被排除在外,也希望将来能嫁入好人家,享受美好的未来。
!["They didn't want to be left out. They wanted to ensure they had a good future and good marry into a more affluent family.”](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-32592-1434625289-9.jpg)
来源:Buzz Feed
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