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Hand Sign & Salutation
Each Shao Lin Pai can be identified by the particular gesture that its exponents make with their hands.
There are, therefore, thousands of different kinds of these hand signs in use. In Mandarin the Shao Lin hand
sign is called Her Zhang; among the Hokkien people, however, the expression Hap Zhiong is used. The Shao Lin
hand sign as a gesture is simple enough is its mechanics. To make it, follow the instruction below:
He Zhang (Sao Lim Salutation)
- Stand erect, heels together, toes pointing outward in a natural manner.
- Bring both hands together, touching the palms together without undue pressure. Extend each hand’s fingers
without stiffness and touch the fingers of the other hand. Your hands are now in the close position.
- Keep your shoulders down and relax them as you position both your hands in front of your body at chest level,
fingers pointing upward and the fingertips at the level of your throat. Keep your hands about an inch from your
body. Keep your elbows in, close to your body, but hold them without stiffness. Look directly to your front.
In as much as it is the goal of a Shao Lin exponent to be ready at all times to meet any emergency situation,
it is important for him to avoid practices that would make the Shao Lin hand sign an obstacle to self-defense.
You should therefore especially avoid the following:
- Positioning your close hands in front of your face or at higher levels, such as atop your forehead, since these
positions can obscure the movements of your enemy.
- Spreading your elbows, thus exposing certain vital parts of your body to a sudden attack.
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