Chinese Foot-binding Culture Museum Collections-72 Shoes for Four Seasons 12

Coffin shoes were prepared by the elderly people and they wore them when they died. The shoes were embroidered with propitious cloud, lotus, cloud ladder, meaning good luck. Children's Shoes were embroidered with zodiacs. “Every Step a Lotus” Shoes were worn by dancing kabuki. You will find a small drawer in the shoe heel with perfume powder inside and lotus pattern at the bottom of the heel. When dance, the shoes will leave a lotus on the ground with fragrance, which is the reason of the shoe name. High boots were worn by rich family only in the past. First of all, the color of the silk boots is yellow which is for royal family use only in Ming and Qing dynasties. Later, it was gradually accepted that official family and rich people use the color yellow. Besides, the boots are embroidered peony which is a symbol of rich and dignity.