If a few years ago I had mustered the courage to ask: “Were women with bound feet really unhappy?” I might have immediately faced a wave of doubt or even criticism, as foot binding has become a symbol of the oppression of Chinese women. To question whether foot binding was painful is to question the political assertion that women were once oppressed. However, recently discovered historical materials on foot binding give me the confidence to state that women’s personal experiences could still transcend the frameworks of conventional moral judgments and political interpretations, warranting our serious attention. I would argue that the determination of happiness and unhappiness depends not only on individual psychology, but is also subject to social customs. As long as this statement is considered justified, no one would dare to hastily conclude whether foot-binding brought happiness or misery. Because at least in the early Republican period  and for a considerable time thereafter, it was the natural-footed women, who were in the minority, rather than those with bound feet, that appeared unhappy.