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Sitting Pretty: The Custom of Kowtow
In historical operas and films, one can often see Chinese people performing
kowtow - a traditional custom for worship on bended knees. It is said that the
history of kowtow can be traced back as early as the legendary Emperor Xuan
Yuan. How this custom originated and how it survived throughout history has a
lot to do with the living standards and customs of ancient Chinese people.
There was no formal chair or bench before the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD) in
China. People usually sat on mats made of reeds or bamboo strips at dinnertime,
during discussions or reading. Guests were usually invited to sit on an extra
mat to show respect. Even top leaders would sit on a mat, which was usually of a
higher quality. For instance, in the Zhou Dynasty (1100-221 BC) on the occasion
of meeting the monarch, the matting of the emperor was five-colored, with
screens set beside it.
Therefore, the connotation of the words "to sit" in ancient times was
completely different from what we understand today. "Sitting" is generally known
as kowtow today: Both knees bent down on the mat, with the buttocks resting on
the heels. When meeting a guest, the host usually had to stretch the upper part
of the body to show respect. Gradually, the custom of kowtow became a part of
daily life.
To show enough respect, one had to perform Kowtow in ancient times,
especially to seniors and higher officials. During the Zhou Dynasty, there was a
set of strict rules about kowtow, which played a very important role in
maintaining authority and reverence towards emperors and, in turn, consolidating
the feudal system. Emperors, therefore, were all willing to follow the
tradition.
In the Han Dynasty, chairs and benches gradually appeared, which altered the
original sitting gesture greatly. But the tradition of kowtow survived, and
became a symbol of different classes. The custom was widely adopted in
officialdom. For instance, the custom of kowtow was applied when officials met
the emperor; when officials of lower rank met those from a higher rank; when
minors met masters, etc. The custom not only prevailed on official occasions but
also among the common people. During sacrifices and birthday celebrations for
the elders, kowtow was also passed on from generation to generation. Later, the
custom of zuoyi (a bow with hands folded in front) and jugong (a bow) were also
added. With the abolishment of the feudal system in 1911, kowtow also ended
gradually.
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