Cixi’s court issued edict against foot-binding, first national attempt.
On January 21, 1902, Cixi issued an imperial edict discouraging the practice of foot-binding, marking a significant national-level action against this centuries-old custom. Although enforcement was limited and the ban was later rescinded, it set a precedent and represented a shift in attitudes towards women's rights. Her edict is often credited as the first attempt by national leadership to eliminate the practice.