The shape and spirit of archery

Until now, those who study Kyudo have remained solely at the level of archery, mumbling endlessly about it. Some believe that adding some formalities and donning some "Hanfu" (Chinese traditional clothing) makes it Kyudo.

In reality, these are external formalities and have nothing to do with Kyudo. Kyudo, simply put, is the principles of archery. This means that there are profound truths in archery, and we should never underestimate the art of archery. So, what are these profound truths? Those who truly and sincerely study archery can experience the following principles: focus, persistence, decisiveness, responsibility, and self-reflection.

These principles can be learned and possessed by everyone, and they are understandable to everyone. Simply by experiencing and appreciating them through archery, they become as familiar as tasting water. With continued cultivation, these principles will subtly become a person's character and personality, supporting their uniqueness among the crowd. True Kyudo is to sincerely apply the principles learned through archery to daily life. Focus on what you're doing, persevere in what you're doing, take responsibility for what you're doing, reflect on what you're doing, and act decisively.

For Kyudo practitioners, there's no such thing as noble or humble in the world. Only those of low status categorize things as noble and avoid them. Therefore, all things in life are resources for cultivation. Kyudo practitioners should be content with what happens. This "comfort" doesn't mean passive acceptance, but rather an active approach to the situation. Therefore, "comfort" is the meaning. As life unfolds, act when necessary and make decisions when necessary. In life, there's no distinction between profit and loss, only between benefit and righteousness. This is what's known as "doing what's right without shirking responsibility." In life, clean when you need to clean, water when you need to water, fertilize when you need to fertilize, ride when you need to ride, walk when you need to walk, live in poverty when you need to live, be rich when you can, live when you can, and die when you can.

This is the first meaning of the character "安." At the same time, no matter what we do, we must be "focused, persistent, decisive, responsible, and self-reflective." For example, when cleaning, focus on the task at hand, diligently following the principles, standards, and methods of cleaning. If this cleaning job lasts a lifetime, we must maintain a serious and responsible attitude, taking responsibility for both the good and the bad of our work and having the courage to reflect and improve.

Whether it's a temporary task or a lifetime one, we should complete it with dedication and effort, and gain insights into the true meaning of life through our work, learning to enjoy and find joy in it. Doing a job that others scoff at, so well that even God would be awed and admire it, is a successful person, and such a life is a truly fulfilling one! This is another meaning of the character "安," and it's even more important and challenging to achieve. The reason why people who learn Kyudo are said to be merely at the level of archery is that they appear to be sanctimonious while practicing in the dojo, but once they return to their daily lives, they behave the same way: distracted, unfocused, hesitant, and complaining. This is a classic example of the saying: "Shooting is shooting, the way is the way," and this is just self-deception.

Kyudo is not just a skill or an art; it is a discipline that is about life, serves life, and transcends life. A skill or art can be acquired with money, time, and effort, but a discipline cannot be acquired with any amount of money, time, or effort. It can only be achieved by sincerely devoting one's life. Therefore, archery is merely the external form of Kyudo; being a good person and doing good deeds is the inner spirit of Kyudo.

Kyudo is simple and profound, simple yet profound, brief yet enduring! "Ping" means ordinary, and archery is ordinary and unremarkable, hence the term "ping." "Shi" means truthfulness and honesty. Laozi says, "The five colors blind the eyes, the five sounds deafen the ears, the five flavors dull the palate, hunting makes the heart mad, and hard-to-find goods hinder one's progress." The difference between gains and losses in archery can be discerned at a glance, and no one, young or old, can be deceived, hence the term "Shi." "Gao" means lofty aspirations. Kyudo teaches one to aim high and not to dwell on the gains and losses of a single arrow, hence the term "Gao." "Ming" means understanding. Kyudo strives for the ultimate goal, pursuing the ultimate goal. Self-knowledge is wisdom, hence the term "Ming." "Jian" means simplicity and simplicity. One bow, one arrow, one shot—simple yet simple—therefore, "Jian." "Bo" means breadth and depth. A single shot is simple yet rich in meaning, drawing inferences from one instance to another, benefiting the world, hence the term "Bo." A single shot is fleeting, hence the term "brief." A single shot lasts a lifetime, a lifetime, one shot—perseverance, hence the term "long-lasting."