Different countries have different manners about social situations. In Mexico, people shake hands when they meet for the first time. In Brazil, people sometimes kiss. In Korea, people usually bow. Do you know Chinese fist and palm salute (拱手礼)? It is one of classic greeting manners in China.
The occasions of making fist and palm salute
For centuries China has been known as a "Liyi Zhibang". Nowadays, Chinese usually shake hands when meeting others, but sometimes they also make fist and palm salute. People make fist and palm salute when they visit someone during the Spring Festival or attend someone's wedding ceremony, birthday party and so on.
The history of fist and palm salute
It started in West Zhou Dynasty. If people met strangers, they would prepare for a fight if necessary, and hands were always ready for holding weapons (武器). Holding hands together pointed to themselves was a meaning of expressing kindness. Later it became one of traditional Chinese manners when meeting each other.
How do you make fist and palm salute properly? First, stand at attention. Then, if you are a man, right-hand half-fist, and then left-hand hold the right-hand in front of your chest. For a woman, left-hand half-fist, then right-hand put the left-hand on the top. Next, watch each other, raise both hands to brow (额头) and bend down. Also, you could say some lucky greeting words to each other for three times.
A. Now let's learn more about it.
B. The way to make fist and palm salute
C. When and where do people use it?
D. It is often widely used among western countries.
E. Finally, shake hands towards each other for three times.
F. Fist and palm salute has a history of more than 3000 years.
