But by and large, this is relegated to Chinese culture. At one time in history, maybe it was commonly practiced in the latter two cultures. Next is to understand the traditional meaning of the hand-over-fist, which is a common etiquette form in China - but not in Korea or Japan. For those reading this answer who are not in a classical Japanese or Korean style, perhaps your style might employ a bit of symbolism, such as in World Taekwondo (WTF), whose new set of forms are all about presentation, and not at all about self-defense. Some styles implement a bit of symbolism, but in classical Japanese and Okinawan kata, it is all about self-defense. If it is believed anything other than self-defense, then that means going back to sensei (or sabumnim, in Korean styles), and asking for the correct answer. To start, it is necessary to understand what is the purpose for kata. There are several ways to debunk the concept of greetings, et al, as used in kata or poomsae, and I suspect the same is true even in Chinese taolu (kata). But in kata, these meanings do not apply at all. It is not to say that the covered fist can't have these meanings in context other than kata. Many answers are correct - but in martial context can only apply to a greeting as might be done when entering or exiting the kwoon, or greeting Sifu.īut as to Japanese kata, the context of the question, and also Korean poomsae/hyung, the covered fist has absolutely nothing to do with greetings, war and peace, thank you, hello, good bye, subservience, gratitude, weaponless and empty hands, or any of that nonsense. It seems a lot of myths are being perpetuated here. These edit-included excuses tend to be perpetuated down less reputable lines. The two I list as traditional (above) come from sources who've been very helpful in researching things in the past. This also has ties to the Hung Society, but this trends off-topic.Įdit: I have also heard numerous other explanations from various instructors in different styles of Kempo and Wushu, ranging from the "Right is war, left is peace" to the meeting of Taoist (right) and Buddhist (left) cultures in unity. ![]() This is exemplified in the saying 五湖四海皆兄弟 (I believe wu hu si hai joe xiongdi, but I don't know much Chinese), which means "The people of the 5 lakes and 4 seas are all brothers." This, I'm lead to understand, is commonly taught as a meaning to Bak Mei practitioners. The two hands together show the unity of martial artists. The left hand symbolizes the 5 (major) lakes of China, the fist representing the 4 seas surrounding China. Since the right hand is clenched in a fist, it symbolizes attack, while the left, being virtuous and disciplined, stops the attack, symbolizing self-discipline and restraint. The right fist symbolizes rigorous practice. ![]() The left thumb is slightly bent to imply one should never be arrogant or self-centered. These symbolize the spirit of martial arts. The left palm with its 4 fingers represent the 4 nurturing elements: Virtue, Wisdom, Health, and Art. Place the two hands in front of your chest, without bringing the elbows up.Wrap the left four fingers together around the right fist. ![]()
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