Kowtow
| Kowtow | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese | or | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | or | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hanyu Pinyin | kòutóu or kētóu | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | kowtow ("knock head") | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Vietnamese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Vietnamese alphabet | khấu đầu | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Japanese name | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kanji | (noun); (verb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hiragana | (noun); or (verb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Transcriptions | |
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| Standard Mandarin | |
| Hanyu Pinyin | kòutóu or kētóu |
| Wu | |
| Romanization | [kʰəʔdɤɯ] ( only) |
| Hakka | |
| Romanization |
IPA: [kʰɛu˧˩ tʰɛu˩˩] () IPA: [kʰat̚˩ tʰɛu˩˩] (, rare) |
| Yue: Cantonese | |
| Jyutping | kau tàuh / kau3 tau4 () hahp tàuh / hap6 tau4 (, rare) |
| Southern Min | |
| Hokkien POJ | khàu-thâu (叩頭) kha̍p-thâu (磕頭) |
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| Revised Romanization | godu |
| Transcriptions | |
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| Romanization | kōtō (noun); nukazuku or nukatsuku (verb) |
Kowtow, which is borrowed from kau tau in Cantonese (koutou in Mandarin Chinese), is the act of deep respect shown by prostration, that is, kneeling and bowing so low as to have one's head touching the ground. An alternative Chinese term is ketou; however, the meaning is somewhat altered: kou (叩) has the general meaning of knock, whereas ke (磕) has the general meaning of "touch upon (a surface)", tou (頭) meaning head. The date of this custom's origin is probably sometime between the Spring and Autumn Period, or the Warring States Period of China's history because it is already known to have been a custom by the time of the Qin Dynasty (221BCE-207BCE).
In East Asian culture, the kowtow is the highest sign of reverence. It was widely used to show reverence for one's elders, superiors, and especially the Emperor, as well as for religious and cultural objects of worship. In modern times, usage of the kowtow has become reduced.
In Imperial Chinese protocol, the kowtow was performed before the Emperor of China. Depending on the solemnity of the situation different grades of kowtow would be used. In the most solemn of ceremonies, for example at the coronation of a new Emperor, the Emperor's subjects would undertake the ceremony of the "three kneelings and nine kowtows", the so-called grand kowtow, which involves kneeling from a standing position three times, and each time, performing the kowtow three times while kneeling. Immanuel Hsu describes the "full kowtow" as "three kneelings and nine knockings of the head on the ground."
As government officials represented the majesty of the Emperor while carrying out their duties, commoners were also required to kowtow to them in formal situations. For example, a commoner brought before a local magistrate would be required to kneel and kowtow. A commoner is then required to remain kneeling, whereas a person who has earned a degree in the Imperial examinations is permitted a seat.
Since one is required by Confucian philosophy to show great reverence to one's parents and grandparents, children may also be required to kowtow to their elderly ancestors, particularly on special occasions. For example, at a wedding, the marrying couple was traditionally required to kowtow to both sets of parents, as acknowledgement of the debt owed for their nurturing.
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