About the range of horseback archery examination of Tang etc
While reading about horseback archery examination of Tang period
of China from Mr. Stephen Selby's <Chinese archery>, I found something rather astonishing about it. According to the p. 196 of the book, the candidates of the examination were to hit a target of five by three Chinese inches(15cm by 9cm) at the range of 105paces (About 130meters), on a galloping horse.
Although the people of the Tang period might be more familiar with treating bows and arrows than men of nowadays - since at that time, archery was still a decisive tool of war, and even farmers might enjoy it for sport during winter, when the crops are harvested. - , sill, hitting a target of such small size at the surprising range of 105 paces almost seem like exaggeration to me.
Does the original historical text also say that the range was 105 paces?
P.S.: Although an awkward question to be placed in such thread, is shooting longbows(Including the English one) on horseback possible? I believe that although it could be more discomfitting than shooting with such small bows like Turkish or Korean, the "power of practice" might at least solve the problem. However, I am inquiring this since I do not know much about historical examples of horseback archery nor how to practice it. :(
One of the articles of www.taoc.co.uk say that mounted english longbowmen could also shoot from horseback - although in battlefield they were rather used in a way similar to "dragoons". - , this seemed a bit insufficient.
of China from Mr. Stephen Selby's <Chinese archery>, I found something rather astonishing about it. According to the p. 196 of the book, the candidates of the examination were to hit a target of five by three Chinese inches(15cm by 9cm) at the range of 105paces (About 130meters), on a galloping horse.
Although the people of the Tang period might be more familiar with treating bows and arrows than men of nowadays - since at that time, archery was still a decisive tool of war, and even farmers might enjoy it for sport during winter, when the crops are harvested. - , sill, hitting a target of such small size at the surprising range of 105 paces almost seem like exaggeration to me.
Does the original historical text also say that the range was 105 paces?
P.S.: Although an awkward question to be placed in such thread, is shooting longbows(Including the English one) on horseback possible? I believe that although it could be more discomfitting than shooting with such small bows like Turkish or Korean, the "power of practice" might at least solve the problem. However, I am inquiring this since I do not know much about historical examples of horseback archery nor how to practice it. :(
One of the articles of www.taoc.co.uk say that mounted english longbowmen could also shoot from horseback - although in battlefield they were rather used in a way similar to "dragoons". - , this seemed a bit insufficient.
in my guess, it is a cheating (or conjuring?) , i remember the first emperor of tang dynasty is a great archer and so astute in war, also , in history, some general shoot a few arrows end the war . so , make the conjuring,
arrow+silk======target======silk+arrow
one archer shoot , ohter archer shoot (you can't see it)
it is two archer shoot , the arrow follow the silk , the sile across the target and link other arrows , so , two arrows fly in sky , but you can see one only
i can believe a few by a few great arhcer can do it
arrow+silk======target======silk+arrow
one archer shoot , ohter archer shoot (you can't see it)
it is two archer shoot , the arrow follow the silk , the sile across the target and link other arrows , so , two arrows fly in sky , but you can see one only
i can believe a few by a few great arhcer can do it
Old texts often get mixed up when they are copied from generation to generation. Stephen analysed the texts he used carefully, but there are limits to textual analysis. Personally I tend to think that the length of the course became confused with the range. This is easy in English and Turkish. Perhaps it is also in other languages. It depends whether the copyists and editors were familiar with the subject. Even so there can be errors.
The longbow is no more difficult to shoot from horseback than the Manchu bow or the Japanese bow. It is not as easy to use as the shorter bows, but it could play a significant part in a battle. In some of the Northern Dynasties in China, there are paintings of bows being carried on horseback that we would class as longbows.
The longbow is no more difficult to shoot from horseback than the Manchu bow or the Japanese bow. It is not as easy to use as the shorter bows, but it could play a significant part in a battle. In some of the Northern Dynasties in China, there are paintings of bows being carried on horseback that we would class as longbows.
I had to use a secondary source fpor this information; I shall try to check the primary source.
Often in Asian archery, the 'target' is a small point on a rather larger backing, and hitting anywhere on the backing is counted as a score. That might be the answer in this case.
Nevertheless, hitting a small target like that should be possible for the most outstanding horseback archers of the time. The same text said that not all the shots had to hit.
Often in Asian archery, the 'target' is a small point on a rather larger backing, and hitting anywhere on the backing is counted as a score. That might be the answer in this case.
Nevertheless, hitting a small target like that should be possible for the most outstanding horseback archers of the time. The same text said that not all the shots had to hit.
How does 105 paces equal 130 meters? An adult man's pace is about 0.7 meters, and that means a distance of 73 meters. Still a formidable task, but much less so than at almost twice the distance.
"Pace" was a standard measure at that time, and did not actually mean the length of a man's pace.
Some cultures defined the pace as the distance between footfalls of the same leg. Others defined it as the distance between alternate footfalls.
The first is twice as long as the second. Unfortunately in English they are both translated by the word pace. A Chinese pace would be a double pace in English. It would be better if we referred to steps and paces where two steps equal one pace, but I don't think many people care.
The first is twice as long as the second. Unfortunately in English they are both translated by the word pace. A Chinese pace would be a double pace in English. It would be better if we referred to steps and paces where two steps equal one pace, but I don't think many people care.
Hello Sinsigel,
Edward McEwen wrote me some time ago that he used many types of bows from horseback, including the English longbow. The only discomfort, as he wrote me, was for him that it is more difficult to aim at targets on the right side (for a right-hand archer). It is not as easy as with short bows to change the sides with the bow, as he said.
Regards, Erhard Godehardt
Edward McEwen wrote me some time ago that he used many types of bows from horseback, including the English longbow. The only discomfort, as he wrote me, was for him that it is more difficult to aim at targets on the right side (for a right-hand archer). It is not as easy as with short bows to change the sides with the bow, as he said.
Regards, Erhard Godehardt
The length of the bow does not interfere with shooting from horseback. But you will be restricted in your movements. And that could kill you in real battle.
ELB shooters, stay on ground. That is what the English bows were made for.
ELB shooters, stay on ground. That is what the English bows were made for.