It is popular saying that slippers originated in the Meiji era in Japan. In fact, slippers originated in India earlier.

Zhou Qufei, an official who served in Guangxi during the Southern Song Dynasty, recorded two leather slippers worn by local addressees: one was made of leather as the base, and there was a small pillar with a one-inch long head in the middle. One type of cross red skin is placed on the bottom of the skin and walks with its feet penetrated.

It is also said that the shape of these leather slippers is exactly the same as that of Luohan's feet in the painting at that time. Zhou Qufei also described the red slippers worn by the people of the old man in southern India, which are the same as those worn by Luohan in the painting.