Aching for Beauty: Footbinding in China - Softcover

"Wang Ping writes with passion and an understanding strengthened by the female experience. This is a rich, necessary, and invaluable book."-Ha Jin, author of Waiting

"Impeccable.... [A] house of Chinese wonders.... Wang takes on a giant storehouse of subject matter and glides through its labyrinthine corridors in fluid, often intuitive moves.... Fascinating."-San Francisco Bay Guardian

"Eloquently and thoroughly documents a custom that for 1,000 years symbolized not only attractiveness, but gentility, virtue and high status.... [Wang Ping] peels back the layers of fear, desire and social climbing...like so many lotus petals."-Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

An award-winning exploration of the history and cultural practice of footbinding in China reveals the traditions that contributed to and surrounded its thousand-year enforcement, as well as its related literature, music, contests, and rewards. Reprint. 15,000 first printing.