by Phillip “Pete” Starr
The standing bow is, by far, the most common. It is done the same way, regardless of whether you're in Japan or China. I've mentioned before that unlike what some Westerners believe, China is not the “land of bowing.” That title belongs to Japan. Bowing in China isn't done with nearly the frequency as in Japan; the handshake is much more common, but bowing is often seen in special events such as wedding activities, funerals, and on noteworthy occasions (such as celebrating the memory of a past leader).
Bowing is done as a gesture of respect and in the martial Ways of Japan, it also provides time for preparing the mind and spirit prior to a martial arts class or performance. It has no religious significance whatsoever. The standing bow is performed with the neck kept straight – I've seen many martial arts zealots bow with their necks craned upwards so they can clearly see the other person (having been told that this is essential by their Western teachers – and the eyes looking upwards. To do either of these things is considered very rude. I've seen many practitioners perform a “bow” with nothing more than a nod. This is also very rude and is considered an insult of sorts. The eyes should look at a spot about 8 ft. or so in front of you; and, trust me, you'll be able to see if your partner makes an aggressive movement easily enough. The eyes are NOT turned upward to look directly at your partner.
Males should keep the hands at the sides while women generally place the hands in front of themselves. There is no thigh-slapping whatsoever. I actually did that once and my teacher scowled and said, “Why are you spanking yourself? Are you a naughty boy?” I never did it again. The whole thigh-slapping business was created by Westerners to add a bit of military flair to the bow. It is unnecessary, gauche, and very risky in so far as martial arts are concerned (it's an unnecessary action, which should be avoided).
The kneeling bow is done in a very specific way; the hands are placed flat on the floor (left first, then right...with the fingers turned somewhat inwards). Again, the neck is held straight and the eyes look forward rather than upward. This kind of bow isn't seen in China at all (only in Japan); rather, the Chinese use a “koutou” (known as a “kowtow” in Cantonese), which means roughly “knock the head” and it is used for some religious rituals and to show complete subservience. It is never used in the practice of martial arts. It really hasn't been used much in China since the collapse of Imperial China.
Some gong-fu styles begin their sets with a type of “salute” (oftentimes, one hand is kept open and the other closed in a fist), which is intended to pay respects to senior practitioners and/or teachers who may be present. The salute is sometimes (but rarely) followed by a number of movements or gestures to indicate the form's origins (such as one that has a Buddhist origin). The old style of shaolinquan that I learned featured forms that utilized such gestures.
Because of my involvement in Japanese karate, which I had studied prior to meeting my gong-fu master, Shifu Chen, I would bow before stepping onto the floor of the basement of his home, which is where we trained. He actually thought that paying respect to the training hall/area was a good idea and made sure that I continued to do it, berating me if he felt my bow was too quick or casual. The training hall/place is where we will pour sweat, gasp for air, and bleed in an effort to improve ourselves. Therefore, he told me, it deserved our deepest respect. It is where we “grow up.” Our teachers take time out of their lives to instruct us, so they deserve our deepest respect. And our classmates assisted us (as partners as well as in other ways), so they were worthy of respect as well...more than a simple nod or slapping our legs like trained otters.
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