Types Of Traditional Shoes In China

Shoes have been found in China that date back more than 5,000 years.

The Chinese are credited with many inventions that we take for granted today, including railways, porcelain, paper, printing and fireworks. The history of Chinese footwear, which dates to the days of prehistoric man, is also incredibly diverse and consists of a wide range of materials. China is proud of its ancient history, and versions of ancient footwear are still being used today--although updated for modern tastes.

Clogs

Many people associate wooden clogs with the Dutch version of the shoe. However, archaeologists in China have carbon dated wooden sandals to about 5,000 years ago. The sandals look much like modern day flip-flops, with several holes made into a wooden sole through which woven reeds or rope attach it to the foot and ankle.

Lily-Feet or Bound-Feet Shoes

These are among the most famous items of footwear worn in China and were designed to restrict the growth of women's feet. During the childhood years, cloth would be bound tightly around the feet so when the women reached adulthood their feet would be smaller than normal, allowing them to wear small, ornately embroidered slippers. Small feet were seen in ancient China as desirable and attractive. However, there are some Chinese folk stories that challenge this idea, including the legend of Wu Yueniang, who supposedly hid a knife in her foot bindings in an assassination attempt on the king in the 6th century.

Flowerpot Sole Shoes

During the Qing dynasty (1644 to 1911), the fashion was for Chinese women's dresses to be very long. To accompany these dresses, the first high-heeled, or platform, shoes were designed. This involved a long piece of wood being attached underneath the shoes, which were said to resemble flowerpots.

Embroidered Slippers

Thoughts of Chinese footwear often are associated with bright slippers ornately decorated with traditional Chinese symbols. The slippers traditionally were often made out of silk, had a wooden sole and were normally only worn by the women who attended the court of the king.

Fur and Plant Shoes

Studies of early man in Asia have discovered it was not unusual for animal hides or plants to be bound round the foot for protection. The fur was usually left over from hunting and represented more of a sock than a shoe. The fur items were desirable because of their warmth and durability.

Clay Shoes

Ancient China has become renowned the world over for its pottery and this practice was even transferred to footwear. Clay shoes were manufactured and buried with the dead. They usually were decorated with a design to bring fortune to the deceased in the afterlife.

Ornamental Shoes

Everything from nickel to porcelain to jade was used to manufacture shoes in China. Many of these shoes were designed to be purely ornamental or only worn when the person was buried.

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