Lotus Shoe

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Lotus shoes were the distinctive footwear worn by Chinese women who suffered from bound feet, a painful practice that was once a status symbol among the wealthy elite of China's Song and Qing dynasties. These delicate shoes are crafted to resemble the elegant lotus flower, often fashioned from luxurious materials such as fine cotton or silk. Although foot binding is now a relic of the past in modern China, it's estimated that up to 50% of Chinese women had bound feet at the start of the 19th century, making these intricate shoes a common feature in many museums and private collections today.