Editing Kowtow (section)

==Traditional usage==
[[File:Song Kowtowing Official (9948519693).jpg|thumb|A kowtowing official, [[Song dynasty]]|left]]
In [[Imperial era of Chinese history|Imperial Chinese]] protocol, the kowtow was performed before the Emperor of China.<ref name=":0" /> Depending on the situation's solemnity, different kowtow grades 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 C. Y. Hsu|Immanuel Hsu]] describes the "full kowtow" as "three kneelings and nine knockings of the head on the ground".<ref>{{cite book |title= The Rise of Modern China|url= https://archive.org/details/riseofmodernchin00hs|url-access= registration|last= Hsu|first= Immanuel|year= 1970|publisher= Oxford University Press|location= New York|lccn= 78083022|page= [https://archive.org/details/riseofmodernchin00hs/page/152 152]}}</ref>

As government officials represented the majesty of the Emperor while carrying out their duties, commoners were required to kowtow to them in formal situations. For example, a commoner brought before a local magistrate must kneel and kowtow. A commoner was required to remain kneeling, whereas a person who had earned a degree in the [[Imperial examination]]s was permitted a seat.

Since one is required by [[Confucianism|Confucian philosophy]] to show great reverence to one's parents and grandparents, children may 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.

[[Confucius]] believed there was a natural harmony between the body and mind and therefore, whatever actions were expressed through the body would be transferred over to the mind.<ref>{{cite book|author-first1=Eva Kit Wah|author-last1=Man|title=Issues of Contemporary Art and Aesthetics in Chinese Context|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xK1nCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA32|year=2015|publisher=Springer|page=32|isbn=9783662465103}}</ref> Because the body is placed in a low position in the kowtow, the idea is that one will naturally convert to his or her mind a feeling of respect. What one does to oneself influences the mind. Confucian philosophy held that respect was important for a society, making bowing an important ritual.