southern kung fu salutes

[GARRA DE TIGRE]

i want to ask about differents kung fu opennning salutes .
in shaolin salutes , the moon and sun salute is very commmon .
i think is called ying yang yut yuet .

any knows anothers salutes or more detailed info about moon and sun salute ?

[Crimson Phoenix]

In Chuka/Phoenix Eye fist style, according to the book from Cheong, the salute is done like the sun and moon salute except that the clenched fist forms a phoenix eye instead of a regular fist...

Apparently, from what I have been told recently here, CLF has a special way of saluting involving a hand forming a tiger claw that is known only to insiders of the style...but the guys won't tell much more :D

[joedoe]

I was also told in Shaolin that the angle of the fist is important. Apparently if you show the back of your fist it is in effect a challenge. Can anyone verify this?

[dezhen2001]

dunno dude - but in all the movies i seen they usually hold the hands either up like a normal salute or down low to be more subtle but still show respect... and no one god suddenly smacked for it :D

dawood

[joedoe]

Normally you see the fist hand with the back of the fist facing upwards, or on a slight angle but never facing forward towards other people. I was told this can be taken as a challenge as it is impolite or something along those lines. :)

[Sho]

Originally posted by Crimson Phoenix
Apparently, from what I have been told recently here, CLF has a special way of saluting involving a hand forming a tiger claw that is known only to insiders of the style...but the guys won't tell much more :DChan Family CLF uses an open palm (not a tiger claw) in the salutation. It might be different in the Hung Sing and Bak Sing lineages.

[Yum Cha]

Pak Mei uses the "Willow Leaf" salute, the open straight hand over the closed fist.

There's another thread on this topic in the archives. The different between Buddhist and Taoist salutes, the symbolic meaning and the hidden meaning.

From what I understand:

The Willow Leaf symbolises that "All men are brothers across the 4 seas." There is another "hidden" meaning that eludes me.

Folding all fingers in the upright hand down with the exception of the index finger is the Incense stick. It is an arrogant gesture.

I believe the other Sui Lam salutes symbolise Yang and Yin, but thats pretty obvious to most people. There are subtlties, like the back of the hand being an insult.

[GARRA DE TIGRE]

yum cha


do you know the translation of ying yang yut yuet ?

[Yum Cha]

ying yang yut yuet ?

Ying Yang (Yang & Yin?) one ????

I would conclude it is a statement about how yang and yin were one force together?

My chinese language skills are nil to nonexistant, I could be totally off the mark.

[iron thread]

Hung Gar Salute:

Left hand tiger claw, right hand fist. Hands aren't actually touching. At least that's the salute in the forms.

[fiercest tiger]

Remember all salutations are also effective fighting techniques as well. The salute also resembles your clan as well althought i really couldnt picture 2 people squaring off and saluting each other in a fight. Maybe a tournament fight YES, but not a street fight or any other death match. Well I personally wouldnt salute you if i know you have come to fight or challenge me!!:)

FT:)

[Bao Jong]

I cant actually recall where I got this information, but, apparently the open palm represents the shaolin temple and the closed fist represents fighting. When you bring these two together, it is to say that you wont fight, and is supposed to be a peaceful gesture. I think this is related to greetings rather than fighting customs.

[custom156]

"salutations are also effective fighting techniques as well"

I wonder how many people are or are not taught the respect as san sau?
The first thing I learnt in Pak Mei after the mechanics of 'how', was the san sau behind the salute.

[GARRA DE TIGRE]

shaolin salut : i'd learn that the open palm means peace and the fist means power if that peace is broken .

hung ga salute : many branches like tang fung , use the palm and fist in the salute . i believe lam sai wing put the tiger claw in his lieneage .

[MAC]

Yum Cha - The Pak Mei salute ; ng wu, sei hoi -- 5 lakes, 4 seas (all men are brothers). Did this not also (secretly) signify their opposition and political position toward the dynasty ?

[Yum Cha]

I believe it also means something along the lines of if the Ming came together they could overcome the Ching... These salutes come from those days.

I'm not totally sure though.

[mono68]

Garra de Tigre

Ying Yang Yat Yuet:

Negative positive Sun Moon.
What this represents that the hands are opposite ,but at the same time balanced. Example: you can not be arrogant nor too humble. that is why the salute is balanced.

Regards,

Sam Tak

[TenTigers]

This is what I was taught-take it as you like:
The hands form the sun and moon which when written in chinese form the character 'Ming" the bow starts at the heart, meaning, "our hearts are for the Ming Dynasty-warrior and priest(fist and palm) fight together side by side, back to back(bringing the hands inward back of hands touching) we pull our country together(hands form fists and pull back to chamber)' might be true, might be folly, I like it. So that's what we teach.

[bean curd]

the salutation of any pai is indicative of of that pai. what most have said is the universal of martial skills that are acknowledged when the community gets to gether for competition.

what ten tigers has said is close to also what i know as a general rule of symbolism. just a suggestion also look at the footwork of the bow you do, the footwork is also an expression of symbolic understanding. as a general rule, most pai do three steps forward and three steps back, some do half a step forward again. have you ever looked at this, if not ask your sifu, and he will tell you its meaning. there are two meanings one is the general rule of southern fists the second is again particular to your pai

[denali]

Why do you say that the Hung Gar salute is tiger claw/fist?

I think that not the most common. Most lineages would use the palm/fist.. It is also obvious in Lam Sai Wing's books and pictures that he did this also.

I know bucksam kong does the tiger claw/fist.. he does a few postures differently than most lineages though.

[iron thread]

I say it's a tiger claw/fist because that's how I was taught.

[Jabb]

In Chen family CLF we use the open palm - closed fist salute with cat stance, dunno whats the salute called. We can do it with or without the cat stance but with the cat stance you show greater respect. Mok Gar uses this salute too, I think it's kind of common in southern styles. We also kinda twist the fist inward when we bring the hands forward, but it's nothing to do with challenging.

If we want to challenge some other CLF practitioner to a fight we use the tiger claw instead of the open palm.

We've been told a couple of "meanings" of the salute: "shaolin temple and the governement meets", "tiger and dragon come together"

[jmd161]

In my style of Siu Lam Hak Fu Muhn (Shaolin Black Tiger)

We have the Sun And Moon like most Shaolin styles have with palm and fist touching.

Then we have the Black Tiger Clan salute which is a little different than the normal sun and moon salute.I won't go into it because it's a way to tell a " True " Black Tiger Clan member from a fake clan member.

jeff:)

[5thBrother]

Hi.

most of the "sun and moon" fist overed in palm salutes i have seen are right fist covered by left palm.

i have seen few which do LEFT fist covered by right hand ...

ive heard the left hand becasue its closer to the heart / heart side...

a friend asked if north uses left fist and south uses right or anything like that?

i also heard left for "scholar" right for "warrior" kinda thing too

is there any meanings? is left fist "wrong" is it just preference?

thank you

:)