The American Association of Chinese Schools announced on Friday that a webinar titled “The Beauty and Sorrow of Three-Inch Golden Lotus: Exploring the Cultural and Historical Significance of Three-Inch Golden Lotus from Peking Opera Footbinding” will be held on December 1st. Through the exploration of Peking Opera footwork techniques, the webinar aims to delve into the cultural and historical aspects of the Three-Inch Golden Lotus and reflect on modern aesthetic standards.
According to the President of the American Association of Chinese Schools, Wang Wanjun, the association has 261 schools in 13 regions across the United States. On December 1st, Li Naya, President of the Northern California Chinese Schools Association and a graduate from a Peking Opera school, will vividly explain the origins and training of Peking Opera footwork while also discussing the history of foot binding.
The webinar will cover a wide range of topics from folklore to historical records, guiding participants through a journey across time to deeply understand the evolution of foot binding. Li Naya will personally demonstrate Peking Opera footwork and showcase the makeup techniques of Peking Opera dan characters. The webinar promises to be informative, encouraging participants to reflect on modern aesthetic standards by learning from the past.
Zhuang Yashu, Director of the Overseas Chinese Education Center, expressed special thanks to President Wang Wanjun for organizing this exciting webinar, allowing more people in overseas Chinese communities to appreciate the unique charm of traditional culture.
President Li Naya stated that by exploring the phenomenon of the Three-Inch Golden Lotus through Peking Opera, one can delve into the essence of Chinese traditional culture. Cultural learning not only enriches language teaching but also enhances our understanding of shared values. This webinar is not just about appreciating Peking Opera and learning about culture but also provides an opportunity for teachers and students to reflect on aesthetic standards.
The “Three-Inch Golden Lotus” was a beauty standard for women in ancient times, and foot binding, despite being a painful practice, persisted in Chinese society for a long time.
On stage, in order to portray the appearance of women with bound feet, wooden bases shaped like small feet were used, connected to a sloping wooden board (similar to high heels or ballet pointe shoes), and small embroidered shoes were worn on the outside, known as “jiao.” Actors had to tightly bind their feet to the “jiao” with long straps, walking in small steps, running in circles, engaging in fights, and falling, a practice known as “foot binding.”
Foot binding is a highly challenging technique that requires actors to wrap their feet in wooden “jiao,” keeping their legs and ankles straight, with the entire foot off the ground, relying solely on the ankle’s strength to stand upright. The weight of the whole body is pressed on the toes, making the training extremely difficult. After wrapping and binding their toes in foot bindings, actors need to stand motionless on bricks, known as “hao jiao” or run in circles, known as “walking Hua Bangzi,” basic skills referred to as “jiao gong,” typically used by dan actors or martial dan. In the early days, all female roles in Taiwanese opera schools needed to learn footwork.
The webinar will take place on December 1st at 4:00 PM (Pacific Time). Please note that times will vary for other time zones.
Format: Online webinar. Please scan the QR code on the poster below to register. ◇