| Chinese archery never really
transformed into a spiritual practice like Japanese archery
(kyudo) became. The Chinese emphasis was strictly practical:
medium-range projectile launching to break up enemy infantry
and keep Mongol cavalry at a distance. During the Zhou Dynasty
(1146-256 BCE) archery was one of the Six Noble Arts. During
the later Han, Tang, Song, Ming and Qing dynasties military
officials had to demonstrate proficiency as both mounted and
dismounted archers. During the late Ming Dynasty the military
use of firearms gradually replaced bows and arrows, although
archery survived until the beginning of the 20th century.
There was a revival of interest in the 1920s and early 30s,
but the decade of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) caused
many archery schools and workshops to close. In 1998 Ju Yuan
Hao resumed making bows, and now there is an annual Chinese
Traditional Archery Seminar organized by the Folk Archery
Federation of the People's Republic of China. |
