中國弓道의 弓과 弩에 관한 연구

A Study on Bow and Catapult in Chinese Archery

  In relation to the origin of Chinese archery, Chinese archaeologists discovered an arrowhead made of a pair of stones from remains of the Old Stone Age near Chiyok village, Sakhyeon, Shanxi(Sakju, Shanxi Province at present) in 1963. It was the oldest arrowhead found in China and determined by radioisotopic examination to be manufactured in the late Old Stone Age(28,000 years ago). In reviewing ancient Chinese books about Chinese archery, this study focused on bow and catapult separately, both of which were epochal shooting devices. In the period of Xia, Shang and Zhou, bow, along with a bronze arrowhead, was the symbol of manhood. In the period of Civil Wars, arrow shooting was considered as a method of physical and mental discipline. According to historic records, two generals named Gaeyeon and Jedong were distinguished as excellent archers in the periods of Chin, Han and Three Kingdoms. In the periods of two Jins and Southern & Northern Dynasties, mounted shooting was considered very important as wars were often operated through calvary battles and infantry actions. In the period of Sui and Tang periods, people first used bows and arrows as means of living, irrespective of their gender, but later women scarcely shoot arrows as male and female works were separated. During the Sung, Liao, Jin and Yuan dynasties, archery fell into a means of amusement. But it became a critical course of military service examination in the periods of Ming and Ching. Especially, The Ching Imperial Court enjoyed mounted shooting as an amusement under the motto, "stabilize the whole world with the benefits of archery and horse riding". Concerning catapult, its power is suggested by words of an ancient Chinese literature, "penetrating an iron plate from a one hundred-step distance. In conclusion, ancient Chinese books regarding Chinese archery , were reviewed here, especially focusing on bow and catapult, to find that in China, archery had its firm position, historically and traditionally, and was considered important and loved as much as in Korea.