Bow and Arrow Making Craftsmanship
01 · Historical Records
Since the early 20th century, Mongolian bows and arrows have gradually shifted from weapons and hunting tools to implements for sports and recreational activities such as the Nadam Festival. In the 1950s, Mongolian athletes mostly used traditional horn bows in various domestic and international competitions. But by the 1980s, with the passing of veteran artisans and the requirement that archery competitions use fiberglass bows, the horn-bow making technique was on the verge of disappearing.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
The Mongolian people are renowned the world over for their fine horsemanship and skill in archery; bow-and-arrow making was one of the most important handcrafts of the ancient Mongols. The traditional Mongolian horn-bow making technique is widely distributed among the Mongolian tribes; in the past, every Mongolian man could make bows and arrows, and the craft was passed down from generation to generation. The making of the traditional Mongolian horn bow mainly comprises four major steps: material selection, cutting the stock, processing, and assembling the bow. Material selection and stock preparation are the prerequisite and foundation for making a fine bow; the raw materials include water-buffalo horn, cow hoof tendons or back tendons, and highly elastic materials such as bamboo, birch, and vitex wood. After being processed by the artisan, these raw materials are made into the important components of the horn bow, which are then bonded and wrapped with animal glue. Making a single bow takes considerable time and effort, involving more than one hundred process steps. Beginning in the 1980s, Nomin and others devoted themselves to the protection and transmission of the traditional Mongolian horn bow, visiting horn-bow artisans in Hulunbuir, Chifeng, Tongliao, Alxa, Xilingol, Hohhot, and elsewhere, and diligently learning the Mongolian horn-bow technique, until they finally mastered the complete craft of the traditional Mongolian horn bow. The traditional horn-bow competition event, which had disappeared for nearly half a century, has been restored in Inner Mongolia.
Archival Record of Process Steps
Making a single bow takes considerable time and effort, involving more than one hundred process steps.
Four stages of bow making
Selection, procurement, working and assembly — with the horn, hoof sinew or back sinew chosen first, since a fine bow begins with the right material.
Horn, hoof sinew and back sinew
Buffalo horn for layered hardness, hoof and back sinew for resilience, the back built up and then bound in hide.
Passed down on the steppe
Every man once made his own bow and passed it on, bow-making ranking among the most important crafts of the older Mongolian culture.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
The traditional Mongolian horn-bow making technique is widely distributed among the Mongolian tribes; in the past, every Mongolian man could make bows and arrows, and the craft was passed down from generation to generation. The project takes Inner Mongolia Normal University as its protecting institution, combining the functions of teaching, research, and transmission. In the grassland regions of Ordos, Xilingol, and Hulunbuir, the horn bow remains a common implement at festivals and mounted-archery performances to this day. The traditional Mongolian horn-bow making technique is widely distributed among the Mongolian tribes; in the past, every Mongolian man could make bows and arrows, and the craft was passed down from generation to generation. The project takes Inner Mongolia Normal University as its protecting institution, combining the functions of teaching, research, and transmission. In the grassland regions of Ordos, Xilingol, and Hulunbuir, the horn bow remains a common implement at festivals and mounted-archery performances to this day; bow makers are often riders themselves, and testing bows and horse racing are often completed at the same gathering. The bows they make use calfskin on the belly and ox tendon on the back; the bow tips must be test-drawn repeatedly and adjusted according to the archers' opinions, so a single bow often passes through several hands before it is truly serviceable.
Other submitting regions for the same item: Juyuanhaogongjian Making Craftsmanship · Bow and Arrow Making Craftsmanship.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Nomin founded the "Inner Mongolia Mengkegala Bow-Making Base," dedicating himself to the protection and transmission of traditional Mongolian bow-making technique.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Yang Fuxi 01-0166
- Yi Chunguang 05-2756
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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