What is bowing?
Q: What is bowing?
A: Bowing is when a person bends their body forward from the waist in order to greet someone or show respect for them. It can be a quick nod of the head, or a very deep bow from the waist.
Q: In what situations do people bow?
A: The exact way to bow and the situations in which people bow vary enormously between different cultures. In European cultures it is usually only done in very formal situations, such as when meeting someone important like royalty. In some Asian cultures bowing is far more common than in the West and is especially important in Japan, where people will bow to greet one another, say goodbye, apologize, thank each other or show that they are not as important as the person they are bowing to.
Q: How did bowing originate?
A: Bowing was originally a gesture which showed deep respect for someone. In European history it was common at royal courts and men were expected to "bow and scrape" by drawing back their right leg so that it scraped the floor while holding their left hand over their waist.
Q: Is there any difference between how men and women take a bow?
A: Men would traditionally take a full deep bow while women would curtsey instead. Nowadays both men and women performers may take a bow after performances such as concerts or theatre shows but female ballet dancers will still curtsey instead of taking a full bow.
Q: Are there any special occasions on which people might take a bow?
A: Yes - in judo and some other martial arts contestants will typically bow to one another before beginning their fight; Christians may also sometimes take bows during worship services; Japanese mothers often carry babies on their backs so that children learn how to properly perform bows even before they can speak; pupils and teachers at school may also exchange bows with one another depending on who has higher status within the school system.
Q: How long should you hold your body during a traditional Japanese-style bow?
A: A typical Japanese-style should last about eight counts - three going down, one pause then four returning upright again - though if either party bows longer than this then it's customary for them both to repeat this process several times until both parties have finished bowing at an equal length of time each time around.
