Illustrated Treatise on the Maritime Kingdoms, Volume 31

Page Nine

...After kissing original: 噉 (dàn); literally "to bite" or "to eat," used here by the author to describe the unfamiliar act of kissing the hand, they lower their hands, bend their bodies, and slide one foot backward while retreating several steps. They then stand and speak without kneeling.

When a son meets his father after a long separation, he removes his hat outside the door, rushes forward, and embraces his father's waist. The father places both hands on the son's back and kisses his face original: 嗅其面 (xiù qí miàn); literally "smelling the face," an observer's description of a European cheek-kiss several times. The son then bends his body, slides his foot back, retreats several steps, and stands to speak. If the son has not yet reached adulthood original: 未冠 (wèi guàn); literally "has not yet donned the cap," a Chinese reference to the coming-of-age ceremony, he does not embrace the waist. When seeing parents in the morning or evening, the children take their parents' hands and kiss them, following the same etiquette as described before.

When brothers, relatives, or close friends who have not seen each other for a long time meet, they embrace one another and then lower their hands and bend their bodies. When meeting an elder, one follows the same ceremony as when meeting a father, but they do not kiss one another's faces. If the elder and the younger are of similar age, they also embrace, though the person of lower status will slightly lift their heels while doing so.

When a daughter sees her parents, if she is young, she follows the same custom as the boys. If she is grown, she rushes forward, takes their hands, and kisses them. Afterward, she retreats, holds her skirt with both hands, and slightly bends her knees This is a description of a Western "curtsy" several times. She performs the same ritual when meeting her parents-in-law original: 舅姑 (jiù gū). When male and female relatives meet, the man lowers his hands, bends his body, and slides his foot back; the woman holds her skirt with both hands and bends her knees several times.