Bowing avoid bumping heads. The kowtow is the highest sign of reverence in Han Chinese culture, but its use has become extremely rare since the collapse of Imperial China. In many situations, the standing bow has replaced the kowtow. However, in modern Chinese societies, bowing is not as formalized as in Japan, South Korea and North Korea. Bowing is normally reserved for occasions such as marriage ceremonies and as a gesture of respect for the deceased, although it still sometimes used for more formal greetings. In China, three bows are customarily executed at funerals including state funerals, ancestral worship, and at
Obscene gesture thumbs up—is used instead of the finger to express roughly the same sentiment. In some Arab countries, especially Egypt, the middle finger is lowered towards the palm and pointed towards someone, while all other fingers are kept straight. It could be considered the opposite movement of the tradition middle finger gesture, but it serves the same purpose and meaning. In William Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet", Capulet's servant Sampson starts a fight by "biting his thumb" at Abram, Montague's servant. This gesture can be interpreted as being equivalent to giving someone the middle finger. Obscene gesture An obscene gesture is