19張在世界上就快要消失的「最後一代裹小腳女性照片」,女生看完後會超慶幸自己生在現代。

英國攝影師法雷爾 (Jo Farrell) 想記錄下中國幾乎快消失的文化:裹小腳。   裹小腳又稱「纏足」,通常會在女孩4到9歲,腳背還沒完全發育好之前裹。   裹小腳前,腳要先泡在溫熱的藥草和動物血中,接著將腳趾扳到腳底,並用紗布裹好。   腳背和腳趾在施壓過程中會斷

June 21, 2015
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英國攝影師法雷爾 (Jo Farrell) 想記錄下中國幾乎快消失的文化:裹小腳。

British photographer Jo Farrell is documenting a tradition that is dying out with China’s oldest women: foot binding.
 
裹小腳又稱「纏足」,通常會在女孩4到9歲,腳背還沒完全發育好之前裹。

 

裹小腳前,腳要先泡在溫熱的藥草和動物血中,接著將腳趾扳到腳底,並用紗布裹好。

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.
 
腳背和腳趾在施壓過程中會斷裂,一陣子後會打開裹腳布,接著再綁緊,之後再一次一次越裹越緊。裹小腳最好不要由母親動手,因為怕母親的「捨不得」會害女兒的腳裹得不好看。
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一般普遍認為裹小腳最早出現在中國10世紀左右,對象是當時宮內的舞者,之後慢慢普及到民間。

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.

 

由於纏足的女人無法自由走路,因此裹小腳被視為富有的象徵 ─ 因為有錢人根本不需要東奔西跑。

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.
 
從1600年開始,雖然有各種運動試圖廢除這項傳統,但裹小腳直到20世紀初才消失。
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法雷爾表示,他曾問同事目前是否還有裹小腳的女性活著,但大家都告訴他不可能。

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.”
 
法雷爾一有機會就問人,終於有位司機告訴他,他的祖母就是當年裹小腳的女人之一,法雷爾立刻安排飛往山東與她 (張雲英-僅取其發音) 見面。
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張雲英表示,雖然自己有些朋友一樣有裹小腳,但她們拒絕接受採訪。

“A couple of her friends also had bound feet but they declined to be part of the project."
 
法雷爾拍了些她們圍坐聊天吃西瓜的照片,並在2006年於倫敦畫廊展出,2007年他返回山東並將作品集送給她們,而她們也表示想出現在法雷爾的下部作品集中。

 

法雷爾表示,當時擔任他翻譯的祖母蘇惜榮 (僅取其發音)一樣有小腳,且就住在60公里遠左右,所以他一樣前往拜訪,並順利讓她加入攝影。

“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.”

 

法雷爾透過不斷詢問,一個個找到這些裹小腳的老婆婆,甚至搭車時他也眼尖地發現目標。

“I have found women through word of mouth, even by driving past an old lady."

 

法雷爾在車上看見一位有著小腳的老婆婆,馬上叫計程車停下來,並趕忙下車詢問可否到她家拍攝。

"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.”

 

這些女人都經歷相當艱困的時期,像是纏足、文革、日本侵華與之後的大飢荒。

“This generation of women have lived through incredible times: through foot binding, the Cultural Revolution, Japanese invasion, and the Great Famine."

 

她們曾以腳的大小和形狀為榮。

"Once they were praised for the size and shape of their feet."

 

但隨後卻在同個文化下,經歷很長時間的汙衊和羞愧。

"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."

 

當時裹小腳不只是為了追求美麗,同時也是必要的選擇,因為沒裹小腳的女人無法嫁入同階層人家過好生活。

"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."

 

當法雷爾問她們,如果時間能重來,是否還願意裹小腳時,多數老婆婆回答「不」。

"When I ask them if they could go back, whether they would have their feet bound again, the majority of them say no."

 

但原因大多是,在經歷長時間的亂世,她們必須下田工作,而非坐著讓人伺候。

"But this is largely because as peasant farmers during these harsh times they had to work in the fields rather than be sedentary."
 
法雷爾表示,她們似乎仍以小腳自豪,會不斷強調自己的腳有多小。
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而今拿下裹腳布已有5、60年,她們的腳再度自然成長,但她們也達到「她們所謂的」美麗。

"Having had their feet unbound for 50-60 years, their feet have naturally spread. But they achieved/attained the beauty of their society."

 

多數情況是,這些老婆婆年輕時,其實是自願接受裹小腳,並沒有受到母親或家人的脅迫。

"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."

 

這是社會對她們的期許,當時鎮上的女人幾乎無一反抗。

"It was a societal pressure. All the other girls in the village had their feet bound."

 

她們不希望被排除在外,也希望將來能嫁入好人家,享受美好的未來。

"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.”
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來源:Buzz Feed

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