Why do you kowtow three times, not one?

Because kowtowing three times is one bow and three kowtows, which is a sign of great honor.

Three kowtows, mostly on the following occasions: meeting elders for the first time, meeting elders at the ancestor level, paying respect to people of high moral standing or status, paying respect to teachers, paying respect to the New Year, paying respect to longevity, and paying respect to people who are thankful for their service;

The ceremony is to make a long bow with arching hands first, then to kneel on bended knees and, after kowtowing to the first one, keep kneeling posture, straighten up, then to kowtow the second one, and likewise to kowtow to the third one, and finally to get up. It is rude to touch your head to the ground three times in a row without straightening your upper body, as if you were "pounding garlic" (young children are allowed to do so).

Extended information:

Kowtow to the master

On a certain day, Zhao Benshan's disciple acceptance ceremony, 35 disciples performed a big salute to kowtow to the master triggered a controversy. Some netizens said, "Benshan godfather" discipleship ceremony makes people feel numb and even disgusting, some people said it is "very ugly, very feudal". Some insiders in Shanghai's opera and songwriting circles have a different view.

Shanghai Shaw Stage manager Qian Lili said, in the traditional worship of opera, music and art, "kowtow" is an iconic ceremony, whether or not kowtow often become a sign of whether or not to formally worship a teacher. Theater and opera are traditional arts, so there is nothing wrong with keeping a little traditional etiquette, as long as it is not forced.

Shanghai's famous comedian Wang Rugang and others believe that "worship" is a result of the characteristics of opera and music art itself. Opera, opera, pay attention to is "oral teaching", worship is a win-win thing, such as opera schools, are relying on the heir of the school to inheritance, because there is no heir and lead to the loss of the school of things happen from time to time.

And for students, learning from a famous teacher can help them grow in their art and be recognized by the audience. Some actors still have to make up the ceremony after many years of study with the teacher, which has a "utilitarian", but more out of respect for the teacher, out of a desire to make the teacher's art "heir" of the idea.

Baidu Encyclopedia - kowtowing