![]() Respect for all is regarded as a virtue.” It should be remembered that in Chinese Confucian Society etiquette dictated “Heaven and earth, the king, the teacher and the parent. ![]() Your teacher will be considered inept and ignorant if they haven’t taught you appropriate manners. Remember that not saluting does not only reflect on you. If you know your fellow practitioners well you may adopt a more casual approach to saying hello, but in a formal setting, or when meeting a teacher, the Salute is a must. It could be likened to the Thai “Wai”, a respectful Handshake, a Military salute, and in the case of a high-ranking official, the “Bow or Curtsy”. It is used when meeting any practitioner of the arts no matter whether they are a Grand Master or a fellow practitioner. While a lot of cultures around the world have resorted to more relaxed ways of greeting and showing mutual respect, the Chinese Martial Arts salute has held fast. Why do we Still Salute in Chinese Martial Arts The variations abounded but fortunately today we can take a standardised approach in “mixed company” and be understood and respected as a member of the Chinese Martial Arts world. There is a wonderful story about a man named Shi Quan being confronted by a boxer, and just before the fight started the boxer “Saluted”, and Shi Quan, recognising the salute, stopped the fight as he understood the boxer was from the same martial lineage as himself. However, it would seem likely that it is actually an evolution through all of these stories given that there were, until very recently, as many variations of the salute as there are interpretations of its origin. Some say it started in the Zhou Dynasty (nearly 3000 years ago) in answer to and in an adaption from the Chinese Classic “Tao Te Ching” some say it has its origins in the Shaolin Temple as a way of acknowledging and respecting the act of martial training in a Buddhist environment and some say it was introduced by the famous General Guan Yu (160 - 220CE and deified in the novel “Romance of the Three Kingdoms in 14th Century), as a way of showing respect, humility and politeness to his fellow fighters. There are many and varied stories as to the origin of what we now know as the Chinese Martial Arts Salute. Hence, it’s no surprise that there is a respectful etiquette around the Chinese Martial Arts. ![]() Showing anger, disrespect, arrogance and deceit were considered the signs of a morally corrupt person who should be avoided at all costs. We can see it in the writings of Confucius (551 to 479 BCE) and in the Chinese Classic “Tao Te Ching” (approx. Bowing or “saluting” was one of the ways this was expressed going back more than 3000 years ago. ![]() If you come from a Western background, you may think it’s “puffery”, “not important”, “old-fashioned”, or “a waste of precious class time”, but it is steeped in history and meanings that go back more than 3000 years.Ĭhinese Culture was built on a foundation of etiquette surrounding orderly and respectful behaviour. The Salute is actually called “Wǔshù bàoquán lǐ”, which means “Martial Arts Fist Ceremony” or “Wǔshù lǐ shǒu”(Martial Arts Ritual Hands), which already gives you a feeling that it’s important. One of the first things you will encounter when starting to learn any Chinese Martial Art including Tai Chi is how to “Salute”. ![]()
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