The culture of Hunan during this period of history was dictated by very strict rules and customs, including that of binding the feet of young girls before they entered puberty. After the binding, girls were restricted to the women's upstairs parlor, where they would remain, primarily, throughout their lives. Only as young children in their "milk years" were they allowed to see the outside world and explore nature. Their lives were devoted to creating embroidered clothing and quilts and building their wardrobes and those of their future husbands to create a dowry. Women were considered "worthless branches" in the family tree, and their sole purpose was to produce sons for their husbands. Since feeding a family was a major challenge, a female mouth to feed was simply a liability.