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.](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-6590-1434625022-9.jpg)
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.](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-4577-1434623008-7.jpg)
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。
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.](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-32424-1434622225-17.jpg)
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.](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-16599-1434625084-9.jpg)
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。
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.”](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-11707-1434622203-7.jpg)
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。
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."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-30710-1434622246-10.jpg)
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.”](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-20585-1434623905-16.jpg)
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."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-22463-1434623572-7.jpg)
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.”](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-32569-1434624242-11.jpg)
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."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-6072-1434624874-9.jpg)
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."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-32546-1434624790-9.jpg)
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."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-22841-1434625333-11.jpg)
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."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-29746-1434624127-7.jpg)
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."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-12305-1434622342-7.jpg)
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."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-19818-1434622899-15.jpg)
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。
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."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-11200-1434622917-12.jpg)
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."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-24371-1434622799-7.jpg)
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."](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-31899-1434625059-8.jpg)
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.”](http://teepr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/enhanced-buzz-wide-32592-1434625289-9.jpg)
來源:Buzz Feed
只能說,還好這項傳統已經消失了。快分享給朋友看看,讓大家更珍惜現在得來不易的自由與幸福吧!
(往下還有更多精彩文章!)