Changes and Constants in Archery (I)

Archery is very primitive, it has existed since the Stone Age, and the unearthed bow and arrow artifacts in China can be traced back to 28,700 years ago; archery is very simple, with a rope and two sticks, ordinary people can learn to draw the bow and shoot in 5 minutes; archery is also difficult, it is not a one-time achievement to shoot accurately and well, not to mention the traditional Chinese culture of shooting to cultivate the mind and observe virtue, which is a goal that can be pursued throughout one's life.

In the past hundred years, China's traditional archery technology and culture have been broken. Even if it is difficult for us to reproduce the glory of ancient Chinese archery culture today, we can still explore and experience the essence of traditional archery through our own efforts and enjoy its fun.

The art of shooting is the method of archery. The changes in archery skills are due to meeting practical needs, and the reasons for the changes are nothing more than time, place, and people.

Time: shooting on foot, shooting on horseback; shooting with civil and military skills; rapid shooting, long-range shooting. In different periods, the main uses are different and the shooting methods are also different. People who practiced shooting in a civil way thought that the shooting method of shooting in a martial way was not elegant, while people who practiced shooting in a martial way thought that the shooting method of shooting in a civil way was complicated and impractical; people who practiced shooting with accuracy thought that practicing rapid shooting method ruined their accuracy, while people who practiced shooting on horseback thought that the aiming method of shooting on foot was not worth mentioning. These are the different effects of different uses on shooting methods.

Due to the place: England produced wooden longbows, Japan produced bamboo composite longbows, and China and Central Asia produced tendon-horn composite bows. These are all regional differences that lead to different equipment conditions for making bows and arrows, and shooting methods also change with different equipment conditions. The draw distance of the Turkish bow using the Japanese Kyudo shooting method is not enough, and the Japanese and bows cannot exert their power at all with the general small draw distance shooting method, so the changes in shooting methods vary according to the place and equipment. Due to people: individuals have preferences, so different shooting methods have their own supporters; people have traditions, so different shooting schools can be inherited and passed on; but humans also have a characteristic that they like to be lazy, so simple and easy-to-learn shooting methods are practical and can be spread and promoted, and complicated and difficult to learn ones are gradually eliminated by history. Today, our most common three-finger and thumb shooting methods are all selected by history.

There are thousands of archery techniques (or schools) recorded or handed down in the history of China and foreign countries, and each has its advantages and disadvantages. Think clearly about the purpose, equipment characteristics and personal preferences, and face the ever-changing archery techniques, your choice will be clear.

The unchanging archery technique is due to the consistency of its basic purpose, evaluation criteria and principles. The invention of bows and arrows originated from hunting and war, and the subsequent developments have never deviated from its characteristics as a projectile weapon. Even in occasions that attach great importance to etiquette, whether it can shoot accurately is always a basic criterion for judging archery. However, the equipment of traditional bows and arrows is really simple, a rope and two sticks. No matter what shooting method, if you want to shoot accurately, bone support, straight force, regard small as big, and correct your mind and seek yourself are the basis. If you master one method, you will master all methods. This is the unchanging essence of all archery techniques!