What’s trending?

A video showing a teacher teaching his pupils how to kowtow, a traditional Chinese form of greeting associated with subservience, has gone viral on Chinese social media. The greeting requires the more junior person in a relationship to kneel and touch their head to the floor when meeting a more senior person. The gesture is a symbol of the hierarchical “old society” before the establishment of the People’s Republic of China. The hashtag #Teacher-and-students-kneeling-to-each-other# has been viewed over 60 million times on Weibo with many users expressing concerns about the perceived rise of conservatism in China.

What’s the story?

A teacher surname Zhao from Anhui Province, taught the students how to kowtow after a parent told him that their child was not behaving well at home. He used a break between classes to teach his students about “xiao” (孝), a Chinese term that can be roughly translated as devotion and thankfulness to family.

In a traditional Chinese society context, children should always be obedient to their parents. Kowtowing was one of the traditional ways respect was shown. However, it became less popular after the establishment of New China in 1949 because it was thought to go against principles of equality. The opening lyrics of Chinese national anthem after 1949 is even interpreted by many people to as condemning the practice, “Arise (from your knees)! All who refuse to be slaves!”

What are people saying online?

The video has stirred a wide discussion about conservatism and traditions across Chinese social media. Some said that the video reminded them of the “old society” where people were oppressed by feudal rites. One popular comment on Weibo read that “Slave education? ‘Xiao’ does not require you to kneel.”

Some said they believed the teacher meant well but had used a problematic way to explain about etiquette. “The most important thing in showing gratitude and respect is whether the action is genuine or not. The teacher should let the kids choose their own way to express their feelings,” one comment read.