THOUSAND-YEAR-OLD ART ARCHERY

Text by Wan Jianfeng 部分資料引自《禮射》（清華大學(xué)彭林教授主編）

THOUSAND-YEAR-OLD ART ARCHERY

Text by Wan Jianfeng 部分資料引自《禮射》（清華大學(xué)彭林教授主編）

Chinese Archery has a long history spanning several thousand years. Archery presents different meanings with different forms on various occasions from which we can get a glimpse of the ways our ancestors used to live and think.

千年習(xí)射

中華習(xí)射已有數(shù)千年歷史，不同的場合、不同的招式里，賦予了不同的意義，從中可以了解到我們先祖的生活方式和思考方式。

NO.1

《帝乙射天》

The overhead Shoot 仰射

Application：Archery Ritual of Black Magic

Feature：the overhead shoot is based on the basic techniques of infantry shooting with a change of the shooting angle of the bow hand and the draw hand. During the Xia and Shang Dynasties, bows and arrows were given a special meaning of spiritual channeling. During those rituals, it was believed that the archer could exorcise demons and kill gods. Some even used their bows to challenge gods from heaven.

適用：巫術(shù)性射禮。

特點：仰射基于步射標(biāo)準(zhǔn)，調(diào)整前后手角度而成。夏商時期，弓箭被賦予通靈的特性，在巫術(shù)性射禮中可驅(qū)魔殺神，更有人持弓與天神爭高下。

NO.2

Shooting on horseback 騎射

Application： Battles and Hunting Trips for the Nobles.

Feature：During the Han Dynasty, archers who did shot from horseback used a slightly shorter bow, the length of which was around 109cm-132cm. The archer needed to be able to shoot with both hands and also needed to be able to shoot both in front and behind whilst riding. During the Yuan Dynasty, the ethnic Yuan people were very good at shooting on horseback. Backward shootingwas the best form to show skills and battle-readiness. At the time civilians were forbidden to bear arms, so the only archery activities existed either in the Infantry, or among the noble classes.

適用：軍隊作戰(zhàn)和貴族田獵。

特點：漢代騎射用弓略短，其長度范圍在109厘米—132厘米之間。騎射要求射手能左右開弓，而且前后兼顧。元代時，元人騎射突出，其中背射最能體現(xiàn)高超的技術(shù)和作戰(zhàn)能力。因民間禁兵，當(dāng)時射箭活動僅存于軍隊和貴族之中。

NO.3

Infantry shooting 步射

Application：battle, hunting, Archery rituals, as well as daily archery training for the army and nobles.

Feature：Infantry shooting was quite popular. Normally there are two forms of infantry shooting: stable shooting and moving shooting. Stable shooting includes a standing position, kneeling position, and sitting position. The moving shooting means shooting the arrow while your body is moving. Normally archers would either walk or sprint while shooting. The Qing Dynasty rulers “won the world on horses and bows”, so they were very big on infantry shooting. The royal family listed archery as a daily lesson for their children, and all royal courts had archery gardens.

適用：作戰(zhàn)、狩獵、禮射、軍隊及貴族日常習(xí)射等。

特點：步射比較普及，通常可分為靜態(tài)步射和動態(tài)步射。靜態(tài)步射根據(jù)身位可分為站立步射、跪姿步射、正坐步射。動態(tài)步射常見有行走和疾跑兩種。清代統(tǒng)治者依靠“弓馬得天下”，對軍射大加推崇。皇族更是將射箭列為每日必習(xí)之課，王公貴族庭院之內(nèi)設(shè)有射圃。

NO.4

Yi shoot弋射

Application:Field hunting for Nobles

Feature：Yi shoot existed as early as the Zhou Dynasty. It was one of the shooting skills for the Zhou emperor to test his gentries. The archer would shoot an arrow with a flat arrowhead and a string to tie birds with the string. This way people could capture birds alive without injuring them.

適用:貴族田獵。

特點：弋射在周代便有，也屬于周王考核士子射技內(nèi)容之一。射者用系有絲線的墩子箭射向飛鳥并將其縛住，可獲得無傷活禽。

NO.5

Ritual shooting禮射

Application：shooing ceremony,archery of literary man.etc.

Feature：As a part of the Zhou Ritual, the ritual shooting reflected its patriarch system. This form of shooting was also a way of “righting one’s mind, cultivating one’s moral character, and self-reflection”. After the Han Dynasty, this tradition was inherited in the way of learning archery among educated men. In the Ming Dynasty, the System of Ritual was revived, and ritual shooting was promoted as a result. At the time, Guan De pavilions were built all over the country. Archery became popular again among educated men.

適用：射禮、文人習(xí)射等場合。

特點：禮射作為周禮的一部分，是其宗法制度的反映，也作為正心修身、反躬自省的一種方式。漢代以文人習(xí)射的形式在民間傳承。明朝時重建禮制，全國興建觀德亭，文人習(xí)射之風(fēng)甚濃。

NO.6

Pitch Pot投壺

Application：Occasions such as Ceremonies and feasts.

Feature：Pitch pot gained its popularity among ordinary people. The ritual of pitch pot came from ritual shooting. It is to provide entertainment for guests while learning the Ritual.

適用：禮儀、宴飲等。

特點：投壺在民間十分普及，投壺禮來源于射禮，以樂嘉賓，以習(xí)禮儀。