Bow and arrow making technique of Juyuan

The name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: bow and arrow making techniques of Juyuan

Applicant: Chaoyang District, Beijing

Item No.: 394

Project No.: VIII - 44

Time of publication: 2006 (the first batch)

Category: traditional art

Region: Beijing

Type: new item

Applicant: Chaoyang District, Beijing

Protection unit: Chaoyang District Cultural Center, Beijing

A brief introduction to the making technique of Juyuan bow and arrow:

Applicant: Chaoyang District, Beijing

Juyuan was a royal Arsenal in Qing Dynasty. Its bow and arrow shop was located in the bow and arrow compound near Dongsi, Beijing. In 1957, Juyuan was transformed and moved to Beijing No.1 sporting goods factory, which is now a district unit in Chaoyang District, near the current international trade building. In 1998, Yang Wentong, the ninth generation descendant of Juyuan, set up a shop in Tuanjiehu residential area in Chaoyang District to revive his old business.

Juyuan bow and arrow production technology inherits the fine tradition of Chinese double curvature and reverse bending composite bow. The main inner tube of the bow is bamboo, with ox horn on the outside and ox tendon on the inside. Wooden bow is installed at both ends. The making of bow is divided into two parts: the "white living" of bow and the "painting living" of decoration. There are two kinds of bowstring: cowhide and cotton thread. Juyuan is mostly made of cotton thread. The arrow making steps mainly include adjusting rod, peeling, scraping rod, installing arrow and tail feather.

In his early years, Juyuan Yang's bow making family won the award of Panama International Exposition. Out of love for the traditional skills of bow and arrow and the consciousness of cultural inheritance, Yang Fuxi resolutely gave up his original work and learned from his father Yang Wentong, fully inheriting the full set of skills of Juyuan Royal bow and arrow workshop in Qing Dynasty. Juyuan used similar materials, tools and techniques as those in Kao Gong Ji, Meng Xi Bi Tan and Tian Gong Kai Wu. All kinds of bows and arrows made by Juyuan are of excellent quality and well received by all walks of life. Juyuan was invited to Hong Kong to participate in the Asian Archery exchange activities, which were reported by CCTV and many media.

The inheritance and development of Juyuan's bow and arrow making skills are now facing great difficulties. Yang Fuxi's life is poor, his working conditions and environment are very poor, and no apprentice inherits his skills. If protection measures are not taken in time, it is only a matter of time before the skills are lost.