What dose it mean?!

[SassybutSweet]

I was wandering what exactly dose it mean when Chinese people(hope it did not offend!) Put their fist in their hand and lift it in a greeting!! I know its a greeting, but what exactly dose it mean?! Hello?! Good day?! Is it still used?! Or is it only in certain instances, Like perhaps when welcoming someone into your home, or just passing by?! Just wandering if it is to say hello, why its used instead of saying:"Ni hao!" Is it a warmer greeting then:"Ni hao!"? Any help in understanding this would be appreciated!!!

THANKS IN ADVANCE!!!!

[holyman]

good question.

in ancient times chinese sit on the floor before tables and chairs were popular. the 'table' at that time was the kind of coffee table we had now, those with low legs, called 'beds' in ancient chinese. in hokkien and teochew dialects they still called 'tables' as 'beds', something that was passed down from ancient times. this situation lasts until somewhere song dynasty, and present japanese and koreans still keep this habit they learnt from the chinese long time ago. so at that time, when people want to show respects to each other in a room, either they are sitting cross-legged or kneeling, the common way is that they put forward their hands on the ground, usually the left palm on top of the right, then they bow, with their heads touching the back of their right hand.

after chairs and tables became popular, it'll be difficult for people to bow with hands on the floor to show respects while they're sitting on a chair. that will probably require a yoga master or an aerobics coach. so the ritual is simplified into placing both hands together in front. then they bow without heads touching the ground, just a 45 degrees bow. of course they still have to kneel down and bow when they are summoned by elders, officials, the royals, or the emperor.

but of course, this habit could be popular even much earlier than the above explainations. when people see each other on the road, it'll probably be funny and inconvenient to kneel or sit and bow with heads almost touching the ground. so that action could be around much earlier, the outdoor version of showing respects.

[Amdir_Flassion]

It's just a way ancient or traditional-minded Chinese people salute each other. Nowadays, we just wave a hand to say 'Hi', but this 'Jing Li' or 敬礼 salute was probably the ancient China equivalent of waving a hello.

When I used to do Wushu, I always had to do it at the end of a class to the master. And when I did kung fu, it was the same.

My friends and I often greet each other with this 敬礼 salute, as a sign of mutual respect and friendship.

The only thing I want to clarify is whether it is right fist in left hand, or left fist in right hand? I think it's the latter as I did in kung fu, but can't quite remember.

[Guest Yau]

When I used to do Wushu, I always had to do it at the end of a class to the master. And when I did kung fu, it was the same.

how do you see the difference between wushu and kungfu?

To me, they're exactly and 100% the same thing, but i'm wondering if there's different interpretations in the eye of foreigne learners.

[shibo77]

武术Wushu somehow became 功夫(Gongfu)Kungfu in English.

武术Wushu is the general Chinese word for "martial arts".

-Shibo

[SassybutSweet]

Thank you Holyman, and Amdir_flassion!!! I can undersatand the meaning of it now!! And I have to admit its really very nice!! What a uniqe way of showing respect and friendship!!!