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Description

Block of wood carved to simulate very small shoe, and extended in "shoe-horn" shape to provide actual foot support. All concealed under embroidered silk cover for false shoe, with tall cotton cuff attached. Fake shoe: leather sole, wedge heel; floral motifs, yellow, orange, pink, on turquoise ground; upper: floral motifs - gold, turquoise on red ground, red and gold braid edging. Cuff: at front, one blue, one black cotton rectangle, with ecru loop attached, balance ecru cotton. Loops may have served to hold cord to keep cuff in place around foot. Pair.

History Of Use

Such shoes were used by female actors to represent women with bound feet. As the actresses had normal feet, they had to learn to perform consistently on their toes, with their feet supported in this position by the wooden supports inside the shoes, bound in place by ties around the cuffs. Both the training and the performance itself were extremely arduous. During training to use these shoes, the actress was made to stand steadily on her toes during the time it took for a stick of incense to burn. They were used only until about 1935, after which the knowledge of how to use them was lost. An actress named Chan Yim-nung was especially famous for her use of these shoes, and could jump on and off tables and stand on clay pots while wearing them. The actress would be in the “fa daan” role type.
Footbinding was common throughout China by the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911, with the exception of women of all but the highest class in Guangdong Province, Hakka women, and women of ethnic minorities.
The style of most Cantonese opera costumes derives from clothing of the Ming Dynasty, with the exception of some costumes that are specific in style to clothing of the Qing Dynasty, for operas set in that dynasty. Ming Dynasty style costumes are used for operas set in all other dynasties. In Cantonese opera, the standards for indicating particular role types and character types through costumes were and are not as strict as those for Beijing opera, and the use of symbols appears to have been inconsistent. The performance style of Cantonese opera is also much more flexible than that of Beijing opera, and change and novelty were and are valued. This is reflected in the costumes. It was important that robes and headdresses be appropriate to each other, but the footwear was less strictly controlled.
Early in the twentieth century there was a multiplicity of role types, but the number of role types was simplified over time, and some were merged. More than one actor can play a particular role type at any one time, and they are ranked. A basic list follows, but more role types exist. Among the female role types are those who can fight (called “fa daan”). The highest of these can sing, and is called the ”jing yahn fa daan”. Another female role type is the “ching yi”, a gentlewoman, sometimes humble and struggling, who sings but does not do acrobatics and fight. A third female role type is the old woman “louh daan”. A fourth is the female clown “neuih chauh”. Male role types include the “siu saang” (young gentleman), “mouh saang” (military man), “fa mihn” (painted face, military man with less education), “sou saang” (bearded gentleman, older civil male), “jung saang” (mid-rank male with many skills, but not outstanding), and “chauh saang” (male clown). Costumes are specific to general role type and often to character type, but rarely to the specific character. They are divided into civil and military types, as indicated by their sleeves. Civil costumes have wide sleeves, while military costumes have tight sleeves. Other details such as colour indicate the role type and character type. As indicated by this collection, “water sleeves” “seuih jauh” were rarely used in the pre- World War II period. Many costumes conform to named types, such as “yuhn lehng” “round neck” and “hoi ching”, scholar’s long robe overlapping at the front, with wide sleeves.
Male and female role types can be played by either men or women, depending on their abilities and attributes. In the past, troupes were all-male, but later all-female troupes and mixed troupes were formed. Mixed troupes were accepted in the overseas Chinese context before they were accepted in China.

Cultural Context

theatre

Iconographic Meaning

Footbinding symbolized elite status in China, especially in Guangdong Province, where it was not pervasive.

Specific Techniques

Most visible stitching is done by hand, except for that at edge of shoes. Nails appear to be hand-forged.

Narrative

A large group of Cantonese opera costumes, musical instruments, props, trunks, and stage fittings was left with the Jin Wah Sing Musical Association, apparently by some of the many itinerant troupes visiting Vancouver to perform in the Chinatown theatres in the pre World War II period. There is no certain knowledge of why these materials were not taken back to China by them. They were used by the Jin Wah Sing Musical Association in their performances until they became too dated. The association continued to preserve them carefully, storing them in their headquarters and in the basement of the Chinese Freemasons building until several groups of materials were sold and donated to the Museum of Anthropology.

Item History

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