Archery is another item of the Mongolian traditional "Three Skills for Men", and it is also one of the earliest activities of the Naadam Conference. Before 800 AD, the Mongols were divided into many different tribes, and their economic life can be roughly divided into nomadic economy and hunting economy. After Genghis Khan unified Mongolia, although the tribes with a hunting economy gradually turned to a nomadic economy, the ability to draw bows and arrows accumulated over the years during hunting was preserved to prevent foreign enemies from aggressing and wild animals from attacking herds. Poor herders without livestock still rely on bows and arrows to kill animals to make a living.
because
Archery is called "Suri Haribna" in Mongolian. Sharpshooters enjoy a high honor on the grasslands. In ancient times, "Mozhigen" or "Battle" was often added after the name of a warrior. The Mongolian word "Morigen" means a sharp archer.
In ancient times, the Mongolian archery used ox horn bows, rubber strings, and wooden arrows.
Bows and arrows have been replaced by steel bows, plastic bows, nylon bows, glass bows, and metal arrows.
The archery target is a "felt target" painted in five different colors. The center of the target is alive, and the arrow will fall when it hits the center. There is also a competition without an archery target, and the target is shot at the ground from tens of meters away. The target on the target is a stacked object in the shape of a tower, and it is a win if you hit the target.
The competition is divided into static shooting and riding shooting. It is usually stipulated that each contestant shoots 4 arrows and finishes shooting in 3 rounds, and the winner is judged by the number of times he hits the target.
During the game, the shooter wore colorful robes and riding boots. In the static shooting competition, the referee ordered all the archers to put their bows and arrows together to shoot at the bull's-eye. If they hit the target, the bull's-eye fell off by itself, and the audience applauded. Riding and archery is very popular among the Mongolian people. It was very popular in the Liao, Jin and Yuan dynasties. Riding and shooting activities are held every major festival.
There are hundreds of participants in the large-scale riding and archery competition. The competition track is a ditch with a width of 4 meters, a length of 85 meters and a depth of 0.66 meters. The first target is to hang a colorful cloth bag about 1 foot square on the 2-meter-high wooden pile. The three cloth bags are filled with cotton. The first and second targets are on the left side of the shooter, and the third target is on the shooter’s side. On the right side, the competition rules stipulate that 1 horse and 3 arrows, that is, each person shoots 3 arrows per round, and shoots a total of 9 arrows. Regardless of gender, age, and age, all participants must bring their own horses and bows. Unlimited weight and length.
During the race, put a bow on your back, insert three arrows in your back quiver, and ride to the riding line; after the referee gives the order, start to run, take out the bow at the same time, draw the arrow, and shoot with the arrow. Those who fail to shoot 3 arrows at the end of each round are considered the most disgraceful. [1]
Historically, bows and arrows were an indispensable weapon in Mongolian life, and people respected those outstanding archers very much, and archers were also willing to perform or compete their skills in public, so archery became an important competition event in Naadam.
archery competition
The Mongolian archery competition is divided into three types: standing shooting, riding shooting and long shooting, with 25 steps, 50 steps and 100 steps. The competition does not distinguish between men, women and children. All participants must bring their own horses and bows and arrows. There are no restrictions on the style of bows and arrows, the pulling force of bows, and the length and weight of arrows. The rule of the competition is three rounds and nine arrows, that is, each player is only allowed to shoot three arrows in each round, and the top three are determined by the number of arrows hitting the target.
The archery scene is very spectacular. The archer takes the bow, draws the arrow, nocks the arrow, and fires the arrow on the bumpy horseback. One horse and three arrows must be shot on the prescribed track.
cultural evolution
In modern times, the archery competition used horn bows, rubber strings, wooden arrows, and iron arrowheads. The arrow handles were five-color felt cards. The center of the target can move. If you hit the center, it will fall. There are such bows and arrow targets.
It is impossible to verify when archery originated, but there are wonderful descriptions of archery in the distant age when Mongolian epics were produced. "Secret History of Mongolia" provides us with content about archery competitions in the 13th century. Mounting and archery is necessary for Mongolian hunting and combat. "Quiver" in "Secret History of Mongolia" is "Huoer", and the person wearing the quiver is called "Huoerchi". "History of the Yuan Dynasty" refers to "Huoerchi". At that time, people engaged in war must first train to use bow and arrow weapons, and carrying arrow slips is the glory of warriors. In the 187th section of "Secret History", Genghis Khan called Ba Ai and Qi Shili Hei to be the guards and put arrows on them. Tracing back from history, the ancient Turkic people regarded the bow and arrow as a symbol of authority. The bow was once the symbol of their right-wing commander, and the arrow was the symbol of their left-wing command. Therefore, the ancient warriors regarded the quiver as their life. Section 190 of the "Secret History of Mongolia" records that Belgutai said: "When you are still alive, let others take your quiver away. What is the use of living? As a man, you have to die with your own quiver, The bow and the bone lie together." The Persians expressed their sincere admiration to the Mongolian men in poetic language: "They are all sharpshooters, they can hit the eagle in space with their arrows, and throw the fish in the bottom of the sea when they throw their spears in the dark. They regard the day of battle as the wedding night, and the tip of the spear as the kiss of a beautiful woman." Mu Huali, the general of Genghis Khan, was an excellent shooter. "When Yuan Taizu died, he once "shot the bow and hit three people." At that time, according to Mongolian customs, bows and arrows became a must-have for men, and they were also precious gifts.
Historically, from Genghis Khan's unification of the Mongolian tribes to Kublai Khan's establishment of the Yuan Dynasty, they all relied on the strength of bow horse riding and shooting. "Yuan Shi Bingzhi" says: "From Shuofang in the Yuan Dynasty, people were good at riding and shooting, because they took advantage of the bow and horse to win the world." Since Ming and Qing Dynasties, riding and shooting still played an important role in hunting and defending against enemies. The record about riding and archery in "Yi Su Ji" in the Ming Dynasty: "When you get on a horse, you chase the fox and chase the rabbit, and when you get off the horse, you control your fists and hips." It is a true portrayal of the life of riding and shooting at that time.
archery way
vertical shot
Immediate shooting means standing and shooting the target. Peng Daya's "Hei Da Shi Lue" says: "When he shoots with a foot, his feet are in the shape of a horoscope, his steps are wide and his waist is squatting, so he can wear it with strength." Can hit.
horseback riding
Riding and archery is horse racing archery. "Heitat Shilue" says: "Whenever he runs, he stands with his toes and does not sit, so the strength is eighty-nine in the hocks, and one or two in the thighs. He is as fast as a soaring, his strength is like a mountain pressure, he turns left and right, and folds like flying wings. Therefore, being able to look left and shoot right is not just a matter of wiping the autumn." Mongolian horses mostly ride straight on the saddle, without arching their backs, so they gallop like flying, looking left and right and shooting.
long shot
According to the "Yesonge Inscription" engraved in 1225: "After Genghis Khan conquered Huacizimo, he called all the Nuoyans in Buhasa Zhuhai to hold a (celebration) grand meeting, and Ye Songe shot the arrow out of the bow 335 degrees. distance." That is, Genghis Khan's nephew shot 500 meters away. The long-range shooting game was once respected in ancient times.