Making diff. parts of bow according to season...
Hi all, I was reading an article on Chinese archery and came across a section where it states about treating different parts of the bow materials in different seasons. I'm wondering if bows from other cultures has the same manufacturing process according to sesonal changes as well?
The article states (my rough translation):
- Cutting the wood materials during winter will provide for a smooth and tight surface,
- treating the horn in spring will make it supple and soft,
- handling the sinews in summer will not entangle them and
- joining the bow parts together in autumn will provide a tight and solid fit.
- Then setting the bow shape in winter will prevent it from losing shape,
- painting the lacquer in deep winter will be totally dry and surface can be repaired,
- in spring string up the bow and store for a year before use.
Part of the Chinese text:
据《考工记》，择漆须色清。中国古代不仅对制弓在才料的要求十分严格要求，对具体的工艺步骤也有细致的规定。?取六材必以其时，六材既聚，巧者和之。?冬天剖析弓干，春天治角，夏天治筋，秋天合拢诸材，寒冬时把弓臂置与弓匣之内定型严冬极寒时修治外表。冬天剖析弓干木理自然平滑细密；春天治角，自然润泽和柔；夏天治筋，自然不会纠结；秋天合拢诸材，白然紧密；寒冬定弓体，张弓就不会变形；严冬极寒时胶、漆完全干固，故可修治外表。春天装上弓弦，再藏置一年，方可使用。
Linky: http://blog.artron.net/indexold.php?321 ... pace-49478
Do you guys also adheres to these principles when making your hornbows? Also, I wonder if one did not follow the steps above, how will the bow's performance be affected?
cheers
The article states (my rough translation):
- Cutting the wood materials during winter will provide for a smooth and tight surface,
- treating the horn in spring will make it supple and soft,
- handling the sinews in summer will not entangle them and
- joining the bow parts together in autumn will provide a tight and solid fit.
- Then setting the bow shape in winter will prevent it from losing shape,
- painting the lacquer in deep winter will be totally dry and surface can be repaired,
- in spring string up the bow and store for a year before use.
Part of the Chinese text:
据《考工记》，择漆须色清。中国古代不仅对制弓在才料的要求十分严格要求，对具体的工艺步骤也有细致的规定。?取六材必以其时，六材既聚，巧者和之。?冬天剖析弓干，春天治角，夏天治筋，秋天合拢诸材，寒冬时把弓臂置与弓匣之内定型严冬极寒时修治外表。冬天剖析弓干木理自然平滑细密；春天治角，自然润泽和柔；夏天治筋，自然不会纠结；秋天合拢诸材，白然紧密；寒冬定弓体，张弓就不会变形；严冬极寒时胶、漆完全干固，故可修治外表。春天装上弓弦，再藏置一年，方可使用。
Linky: http://blog.artron.net/indexold.php?321 ... pace-49478
Do you guys also adheres to these principles when making your hornbows? Also, I wonder if one did not follow the steps above, how will the bow's performance be affected?
cheers
Ok, I may not have ever built one (yet at least) but it certainly sounds to me like this advice was more applicable in days before modern heating, airconditioning, etc.
If the statements were translated to the immediately surrounding climate, it would go something like this:
- Cut the trees in winter, when tree has cut off all its "bloodvessels" (the word for those bits that water from root to branches escape me right now, as then it is at its least moist and hardest.
- Treat the horn in (rooms with) temperatures that do not exceed 20 celsius, and with fresh air; not too moist and not too dry
- Treat the sinews in a warm and somewhat moist environment; moist enough to keep the sinew from drying while being handled
- Join the bow a slightly colder but damp environment (again problably between 12-20 celsius or so)
- The issue of dry and cold returns for setting the bow shape, to get the remaining bits of excess out of the wood
- Finally, when it's really dry (through coldness), paint it (to keep a certain percentage of dampness inside, while not getting more from outside)
- Then string it and let it go though a full cycle of heat, cold, damp and dry.
Now, if this - the shifts as described - is reasonable for building a bow someone else will have to answer; I'm just making a guess as to what lies behind the advice, what effects are sought after in different parts of the year.
If the statements were translated to the immediately surrounding climate, it would go something like this:
- Cut the trees in winter, when tree has cut off all its "bloodvessels" (the word for those bits that water from root to branches escape me right now, as then it is at its least moist and hardest.
- Treat the horn in (rooms with) temperatures that do not exceed 20 celsius, and with fresh air; not too moist and not too dry
- Treat the sinews in a warm and somewhat moist environment; moist enough to keep the sinew from drying while being handled
- Join the bow a slightly colder but damp environment (again problably between 12-20 celsius or so)
- The issue of dry and cold returns for setting the bow shape, to get the remaining bits of excess out of the wood
- Finally, when it's really dry (through coldness), paint it (to keep a certain percentage of dampness inside, while not getting more from outside)
- Then string it and let it go though a full cycle of heat, cold, damp and dry.
Now, if this - the shifts as described - is reasonable for building a bow someone else will have to answer; I'm just making a guess as to what lies behind the advice, what effects are sought after in different parts of the year.
There seem to be two considerations. One is the suitable time for acquiring materials. This hasn't changed since the work was written. The other is the times for carrying out various actions. These are certainly to do with climate and the times that the natural conditions would be best for certain procedures. This is where is gets complicated because the climate is different in different parts of China and it varied over history as well. Without knowing the details of where the quote was originally written geographically, you can only estimate the conditions that were preferred. Old works often contain quotations from different periods and locations and they were rarely identified.
There would be a significant advantage in collecting materials and working with them during certain seasons, having regard to temperature and huimidity.
You neeed caution, however, in interpreting the Kao Gung Ji. It was written to illustrate a utopian society goverened by Yin-yang, the five elements and Confucian ritual (伐一木，刹一兽， 不以其时非礼也。). Facts were bent to fit the theories.
S
You neeed caution, however, in interpreting the Kao Gung Ji. It was written to illustrate a utopian society goverened by Yin-yang, the five elements and Confucian ritual (伐一木，刹一兽， 不以其时非礼也。). Facts were bent to fit the theories.
S