102-Year-Old Chinese Woman Who Had Her Toes Broken For Beauty, Wealth At Age Two...

Han Qiaoni from Yuxian County in northern China's Shanxi Province, was one of the millions of Chinese women who bound their feet to turn them into 'three-inch golden lotuses' or San Cun Jin Lian.'

This Chinese custom  which dated back to the Song dynasty between 960 - 1279AD became popular when LI Yu, who ruled over China between 961 - 975 was said to have fallen in love with a dancer who bound her feet to look like a new moon and performed a 'lotus dance.' 

This then made them believe that having small feet was seen as beautiful and status symbol - often the only way for a woman to marry into money. Hmm!!! Girls living in the countryside felt they had to bound their feet to marry rich men. According to Uk's daily mail, it is believed that around 40 to 50 percent of Chinese women had bound feet during the 19th century however, the practice had been banned since 1912.

Now, Han Qiaoni pictured herein, who's thought to be one of the few remaining women in China with bound feet is suffering for beauty. More pictures down...