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
Judith A. Boss worked as Assistant Director of Curriculum Affairs at Brown University School of Medicine until 2004, when she "retired" to return to full-time writing. Boss is the author of ten books, including "Deception Island" a suspense novel, three short stories, and numerous articles in academic journals including "The Journal of Moral Education", "Public Affairs Quarterly", "The Journal of Medical Ethics", "Academic Medicine", "Educational Theory", "Free Inquiry", and "The Journal of Experiential Education". Judith A. Boss Judith A. Boss is a scholar and author of several college textbooks with McGraw-Hill Education, including "THiNK", "Ethics for Life", and "Analyzing Moral Issues". She is