What is the true, secret meaning, between martial artists when they greet each other with the fist enfolded in the other hand when they bow?
There are quite different interpretations of the meaning of this etiquette. A widely accepted explanation is that to extend four fingers indicates all martial arts in the world are of the same line, to bend thumb means that you are modest, to put a fist in a cupped palm expresses the hope that you are willing to make friends through martial practice and to form a circle with arms shows that all martial artists on earth are of one family.
Copy and paste, but it’s basically the proper meaning of the gesture. Read up on it, it’s an interesting bit of history >_^ｖ
Source(s):
http://www.usadojo.com/articles/etiquette.htm
http://www.bayshaolin.com/salute.htm
