How do Japanese kneel?

I believe many people know the Japanese habit of kneeling. Moreover, this habit seems to be a Japanese patent. Although modern Japanese young people are used to living in chairs or sofas since childhood, if they are invited to the Harmony Room (tatami room) when visiting others, they will kneel on the cushion unless the host tells them to sit at will.

It is said that this way of kneeling began at the end of Muromachi era (1336–1573). Before that, Japanese people sat in the same way as Koreans, with men sitting on a plate and women kneeling on one knee and half. Later, the tea ceremony teahouse was designed as a small room, and when sitting on the plate, it would be changed to kneeling mode when it touched the neighbor's knees. Another way of saying it is that at the end of Muromachi, women's kimono hem became straight, so they could not sit on one knee and knelt instead.

When visiting a Japanese family, you are invited to the Peace Room. Generally speaking, you should kneel outside the room, put your hands flat on your knees and say hello deeply. After entering the room, kneel in front of the cushion and say "rude". Of course, familiar relatives and friends will not be so particular, but even relatives and friends should give a little courtesy before entering and checking out. Besides, you can't step on the threshold The same is true at home.

In fact, this is a Japanese-style border crossing ceremony. There is a Tibetan Bodhisattva in Kending, a village all over Japan. When villagers go in and out, they will cross their hands in front of the Tibetan Bodhisattva, praying for a safe journey or a safe return. When this custom is reduced to home or room, it becomes the kind of etiquette that foreigners may get bored with.

However, this ceremony is not unique to the Japanese nation. There are many ancient memorial sites on the major hilltops in the world, such as the Alps or the Andes. Sparta, the king of ancient Greece, was good at fighting, but whenever he went out to war, he would also worship Zeus in the frontier to predict victory or defeat.

However, it is probably only the Japanese who moved this boundary marker ceremony to their own homes.