Pai Lum Family Martial Arts begins and ends with etiquette. So the first thing a student is taught is the bow or salutation, a gesture of respect for the art, the Grandmaster, the teacher, and respect for the student himself. For without respect for oneself, we cannot respect someone else.

        To remember the bow, the student must repeat it many times, in this way the student is introduced to self discipline and the realization that the study of this art is going to to be a long and hard one.

        The bow can also be used for self defense, and the student soon learns that every movement in Pai Lum is directly related to the act of fighting.

        The bow is also a philosophy in motion. The movements have symbolic meanings that cause the student to meditate and express his understanding of their meaning with great spirit.

        The bow is also an exercise. The long hours of repetition, the lowness of stance, the twisting and turning in the bow, all have a health giving nature to all the systems of the body.

        As the student learns all these things he soon realizes that the bow is actually a complete martial art within itself, and will continue to grow and expand as will he if he perseveres.