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One of the first things you would learn when joining a Chinese kungfu/ taichi school is to salute. There are many different interpretations and meanings behind the now standardised salutation in all international wushu/ taichi/ Chinese opera/ lion and dragon dancing events and performances.

According to IWUF – International Wushu Federation …
http://www.iwuf.org/upload/2015/0206/f1b635666e05c34a953ba463a438f4ae1a614e02.pdf (Page 63)

But why left palm right fist? (Except when you are holding a weapon)

It all dated back to as early as 6th-5th Century B.C and it is stated clearly in one of the highest regarded and the earliest classical Chinese literature “Tao Te Ching” – The Way of Moral/ Virtue’s Chapter 31.

老 子: 「道 德 经」 : 第 三 十 一 章
夫 兵 者 ， 不 祥 之 器 ，
物 或 恶 之 ， 故 有 道 者 不 处 。
君 子 居 则 贵 左 ， 用 兵 则 贵 右 。
兵 者 不 祥 之 器 ， 非 君 子 之 器 ，
不 得 已 而 用 之 ， 恬 淡 为 上 。
胜 而 不 美 ， 而 美 之 者 ， 是 乐 杀 人 。
夫 乐 杀 人 者 ， 则 不 可 得 志 于 天 下 矣 。
吉 事 尚 左 ， 凶 事 尚 右 。
偏 将 军 居 左 ， 上 将 军 居 右 ， 言 以 丧 礼 处 之 。
杀 人 之 众 ， 以 悲 哀 泣 之 ， 战 胜 以 丧 礼 处 之 。

Chapter 31
Now arms, however beautiful, are instruments of evil omen,
hateful, it may be said, to all creatures. Therefore they who have
the Tao do not like to employ them.
The superior man ordinarily considers the left hand the most
honourable place, but in time of war the right hand. Those sharp
weapons are instruments of evil omen, and not the instruments of the
superior man;–he uses them only on the compulsion of necessity. Calm
and repose are what he prizes; victory (by force of arms) is to him
undesirable. To consider this desirable would be to delight in the
slaughter of men; and he who delights in the slaughter of men cannot
get his will in the kingdom.
On occasions of festivity to be on the left hand is the prized
position; on occasions of mourning, the right hand. The second in
command of the army has his place on the left; the general commanding
in chief has his on the right;–his place, that is, is assigned to him
as in the rites of mourning. He who has killed multitudes of men
should weep for them with the bitterest grief; and the victor in
battle has his place (rightly) according to those rites.

Therefore you can see from the traditional Chinese culture, left palm represents humility especially with thumb tucked in to represent “four” and the right fist representing “five” – “Five Lakes and Four Seas” (五湖四海) or “Five Continents and Four Oceans”(五洲四洋) which essentially means – “All over the world” – We who practice kungfu, taichi, qigong all over the world are one big family and friends without judgment but only love and understanding.

The “four” also represents the all around development of the four ways of life – moral qualities, intellectual ability, physical fitness and aesthetic appreciation.

When we are saluting with the left palm covering the right fist, it is to show self control, discipline, respect, humility before any act of self proclaimed bravery, fight or righteousness as a sign of self assurance. (止戈为武 – to stop or avoid a fight is the ultimate way of martial arts)

So when do we do right palm left fist salutation? As you can read from Chapter 31 in Tao Te Ching again, it is to be used during mournful events such as a funeral to show your condolences, to disrespect someone or sometimes a fight to the death.

However when you are holding a weapon, you keep your right hand opened because that way you show your decency that you are not hiding anything other than the weapons that you are carrying on your left.

There are also suggestions that because of the yin and yang theory or ancient sexism, women should be doing the salute with right palm, left fist. With time changing and equality in the modern world this has been disregarded and hence now standardised in any international events with the left palm and right fist salutation to honor the traditional Chinese culture and value.