Yes, the great Chinese sage was a teacher of archery, an art with a long history in China. It is even one of the six noblest arts during the Zhou Dynasty (1146 to 256 BC). On the Taoist side, Lao Zi and Lie Zi were also very famous for their archery skills. In the 17th century, under the Ming Dynasty, the practice of Chinese archery was referred to in textbooks as The Way of Archery. We will not talk here about war, nor hunting, but of the self-control aspect, of the philosophy of archery.
For the general public, the use of 道, DAO, appears in names commonly used for other East Asian styles, such as Japanese archery (Kyudo) and Korean archery ( Gungdo). We forget the Chinese origin of these disciplines. That a sage like Confucius long ago recommended this warrior art for intellectuals is proof of this. It was also an art of the nobility, then it became an exam, next to the knowledge of the classics of Confucius, indeed!
During the Zhou dynasties (1146-256 BC), nobles often held archery rituals that symbolized and reinforced order and discipline within the aristocratic hierarchy.
In these rituals, shooting with proper posture and behavior was often more important than just hitting the target! These rituals were very far from the real battlefields.
THE WAY OF ARCHERY?
Confucius himself was an archery teacher. According to him, “a refined man has no use for competitiveness. But if he cannot avoid it, then let him face off with archery!”. The only concession to military practice ?
Confucius’ thought goes further.
The idea was to have mind and body control in perfect harmony. Kong Zi, in Chinese, even spoke of sincerity!
When shooting at the arch, even though his arrow did not hit the center, his shot was fair, for his sincerity was complete. “He wasn’t trying to hit the target a hundred times out of a hundred shots. He was demonstrating how a hundred shots could be a hundred character enhancement searches ”.
A site of enthusiasts of this Way explains to us: “In the art of Gong Dao the taking of landmarks is essential, the road which leads to the target is a way with several stages very far from the target which can reach an absolute detachment. . Each step is a welcoming space in itself where one draws growing potential until the ultimate letting go. This constructed activity does not leave room for anything other than the requirement to be present in each gesture. No external target in the mind of the archer, because it is absorbed in the proprioceptive construction of axes, volumes, in the application of holds, outfits, breaths that lead him closer to the center which is located as close as possible to itself. The center in question is not that of the target itself, but rather the expression of a center of a universal nature … “
EXAMINATIONS AFTER THE RITUALS AND THE WAY
Although civilian archery rituals fell out of favor after the Zhou dynasty, examinations inspired by the Zhou rituals of the time became an integral part of the military program from Han dynasties through to the Qing, less among the Yuan.
These reviews made it possible to select military officials on the basis of merit. In addition to archery on foot, the exams also included archery on horseback, as well as stress testing with specially designed stress test bows.
But archery was also practiced by emperors. Archery was one of the six arts along with Mathematics, Calligraphy, Literature, Horseback Riding, Music and Rites.
So it was an emperor, Ming Hongwu in this case, who decided to include archery, not just in military exams, but in imperial exams for state officials.
A return to the Archery Way? The most important then remains his mental side, his inherent wisdom in designing a “goal”.
Japanese Zen, also based on Chinese culture (its Song-era Buddhism), also has a whole archery philosophy where the archer, the bow, the arrow and even the target “just have to do it. that ONE ”, as Suzuki will say.
