The Bound and Unbound Feet of Two Amoy Women
Photograph by John Thomson
The bound feet of Chinese women have always
fascinated Westerners. Time and again during his travels in China
Thomson had tried to get a woman to let him photograph her bound
feet, but he failed to do so until he reached Amoy. This photograph
contrasts a bound foot against a natural foot. According to
Thomson, he had to pay both women handsomely to get the
photograph.