Thread: Bowing
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Old 02-12-2002, 04:50 PM   #54
shihonage
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 890
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Re: Eastern culture...

Quote:
Originally posted by Thalib
I believe I have a reply in this thread somewhere that refers to bowing not as a religious ritual, but as an eastern culture.

As someone that is of South-east Asia, I do not take bowing as a religious ritual. If bowing was from a Shinto ritual, then how come it spans basically all of Asia.

In Indonesia, when we walk pass (quite close) in front of an elder, we bow until we clear their view.It doesn't have to be an elder, when passing in front of someone sitting down which posture is lower than you are, it is only polite if you try not to block their view (even if you still block their view, the effort itself is taken as politeness).

We lower ourselves in front of others as a sign of politeness to avoid arrogance. I take bowing in the martial arts as asking for mutual respect and trust.That's why, when I bow I don't look at the person.
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