The History of Chinese Archery. An Archery Manual from the Ming Era

Abstract

The topic of this paper is Chinese archery. It is based on the archery manual of the Ming Dynasty archery master Gao Ying, its translation and analysis. I study the first chapter of the guide in detail, which gives a comprehensive description of the basics of archery. The outlined technique is interpreted, analysed and in some cases compared with modern day sport archery. Finally, I briefly describe the rest of Gao Ying’s work. An overview of the book’s genesis also shows that it was written in response to the Manchu threat from the north. In examining the technique described by the guide, I have found that it is still relevant today, and shows many similarities to the anatomically most perfect method. I have also found that the text did not have a great impact within China, and as a result, the name of the author is virtually unknown in the country today.