The Salute in Kung Fu: Meaning and History of the Bao Quan Li

The Traditional Chinese Greeting

The salute we see today in Choy Li Fut has its origin in the traditional Chinese greeting (Gong Shou 拱手), normally made with the right hand wrapping the left fist, elbows kept low and relaxed, usually accompanied by a small up-and-down motion of the hands. In the past it was the most common way to greet, and it is still used today — especially at celebrations such as Chinese New Year and weddings, or as a courteous way to show respect and good wishes.

So how did the Gong Shou evolve into the Bao Quan Li typical of the Chinese martial arts? Grandmaster Doc Fai Wong explains: «In ancient China, students traditionally saluted by covering the left fist with the right hand. However, Chinese warriors and soldiers carried their weapons in the right hand, which made it impossible to join the hands that way. So the military and martial artists saluted in reverse, the left palm covering the right fist. This became so popular that, even without a weapon, martial artists saluted with the right fist buried in the left palm.»

Bao Quan Li — the Martial Salute

The traditional martial salute, Bao Quan Li 抱拳礼, literally means «wrapped-fist ceremony». The right fist is closed and the left palm usually extended (though not always) — one key difference from the Gong Shou; another is the elbows, which in the martial salute are open, almost horizontal. This is the salute that opens classes and shows respect to the Sifu and one’s classmates.

Given its antiquity and the complexity of the Chinese martial arts, this salute carries several meanings. Some of the most common are:

The Five Lakes and Four Seas. The open palm symbolises China’s five great lakes (五湖) and the right fist the four seas (四海); joining them means «Within the five lakes and four seas we are all brothers» (五湖四海皆兄弟), an old saying of Confucius, offered as a gesture of respect and to avoid fights between different styles.

Support for the Ming dynasty. Under Manchu rule (Qing dynasty, 1644–1911) the salute took on another meaning — support for the overthrown Ming. The left palm represented the moon, 月 (yue), and the right fist the sun, 日 (ri); combined, the two characters form 明 (Ming) — literally «bright», but also the name of the dynasty the Shaolin supported. It was thus a secret revolutionary greeting; thrusting the salute forward, as in Choy Li Fut, symbolised the fight for the Ming.

Philosophical meaning. The four extended fingers of the left palm symbolise the values a martial artist should have — virtue, wisdom, health and art — while the folded thumb means one should not be arrogant, but humble. The closed fist symbolises rigorous training; it is also said the closed fist represents attack while the open palm represents control, since the martial arts should never be used except in self-defence.

The Salute in Choy Li Fut (Ging Lai)

Choy Li Fut forms always begin with a few protocol movements that serve as an introduction — telling you what kind of form is being performed, how advanced it is, and where it comes from — and among these is the style’s salute, known as «Ging Lai» (Jing Li in pinyin). The Ging Lai is done with the right fist closed and the left palm open except for the folded thumb; both hands are thrust forward, marking it as a martial salute that can be read as a challenge to the opponent. It is almost always performed three times, and can vary depending on whether weapons are carried and on the origin of the form.

On saluting while holding a weapon, a note from GM Doc Fai Wong: «Weapon forms begin and end with the weapon in the left hand. Because traditional Chinese culture extends the left hand and right fist as a greeting, many people do this even while holding the weapon — even tournament judges make this error. Remember: traditionally an uncovered fist means to wound, attack or challenge. The correct method while holding a weapon is not to use the right fist, but the palm, its edge inclined and facing the direction of the salute.»

The Salute in Other Styles

Southern styles generally have these opening protocol movements that reveal both the type of form and the style itself. Interestingly, this does not happen in Northern styles, which may or may not salute before a form and have no set opening movements. In Tai Chi Chuan there is no salute within the form itself, though it is common to salute before or after as a sign of respect.

Article by Tin Sing Kwun (María Arias Antoranz 何天萍), with a note from Grandmaster Doc-Fai Wong.