The ''Tian Zu Hui'' (Natural Foot Society), was a Chinese organization against

foot binding Foot binding (), or footbinding, was the Chinese custom of breaking and tightly binding the feet of young girls to change their shape and size. Feet altered by foot binding were known as lotus feet and the shoes made for them were known as lotus ...

, founded in 1895. It was the first secular mass organization against foot binding in China. It was founded by ten women of different nationalities under the leadership of

Alicia Little Alicia Little or Mrs Archibald Little (1845 – 31 July 1926) was a British writer and a campaigner for women's rights and later against foot binding in China. Life Little was born as Alicia Ellen Neve BewickeIn many of her books ''Neve'' appear ...

Shanghai Shanghai, Shanghainese: , Standard Chinese pronunciation: is a direct-administered municipality and the most populous urban area in China. The city is located on the Chinese shoreline on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the ...

in 1895. There had been many anti-foot binding societies since the foundation of the

Heavenly Foot Society Heavenly Foot Society, was a Chinese organization against foot binding, founded in 1874. It was the first organization against foot binding in China. It was founded by John Macgowan and his wife, missionaries from the London Missionary Society. ...

in 1874, but with the exception of the Chinese

Foot Emancipation Society The Foot Emancipation Society (), or Anti-footbinding Society (; ''Jiè chánzú huì''), was a civil organization which opposed foot binding in late Qing dynasty China. It was affected by the Hundred Days' Reform of 1898, and this organization adv ...

, they mainly functioned within Christian missionary societies, focused on Christian converts, and were not successful. The Natural Foot Society was strictly secular, and welcomed members of all religions and nationalities. The Natural Foot Society campaigned by way of lecture tours, information, pamphlets and name lists. They focused on the non-Christian Chinese upper class elite and engaged Chinese upper-class women, which was a new method. In contrast to previous societies which had condemned foot binding in connection to religion, it spoke of the health issues connected to foot binding. It wrote a petition to the Regent

Dowager Empress Cixi Empress Dowager Cixi ( ; 29 November 1835 – 15 November 1908) was a Manchu noblewoman of the Yehe Nara clan who effectively but periodically controlled the Chinese government in the late Qing dynasty as empress dowager and regent for almost 50 ...

, said to be signed by all Western women in Asia. Cixi did introduce a ban on foot binding in 1902, but it could not be enforced. The Natural Foot Society achieved considerable success. It was an umbrella organization which founded and included local branches, and became a significant national organization. Gradually more and more Chinese women joined the movement, and in 1907, the originally Western leadership transformed the leadership of the Natural Foot Society to Chinese women and acknowledge this to be a success of their campaign. Through the campaign of the movement, the foot binding custom diminished in many of the provinces in which the society campaigned, a success noted by the society. They continued with the campaign until the custom was finally banned in 1911-1912

References

*{{cite book , author1=Margaret E. Keck , author1-link=Margaret E. Keck , author2=Kathryn Sikkink , author2-link=Kathryn Sikkink , title=Activists Beyond Borders: Advocacy Networks in International Politics , year=1998 , publisher=Cornell University Press , page=64 , isbn=0801484561 , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y-YH95YHIiwC&pg=PA64 Women's rights organizations based in Asia 1895 in China Feminist organizations in China Foot binding 1895 establishments in China Organizations established in 1895