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Sheshu 射書 and other books on archery

Oct 26, 2013 © Ulrich Theobald

In antiquity, the canonic books on rituals, Zhouli 周禮, Yili 儀 and Liji 禮記, included statements on archery. During the Zhou period 周 (11th cent.-221 BCE), not just soldiers were trained in "military archery" (wushe 武射), but the social elite as well conducted archery contests as ceremonies of social encountering (lishe 禮射), and thus trained not just their brains and social refinement, but also their physics (see the "six arts"). The Wei 曹魏 (220-265) and Jin 晉 (265-420) dynasties used the words "erudites' archery" (boshe 博射) and "soldiers' archery" (bingshe 兵射). However, practical writings on archery remained below the threshold of libraries, and are rarely recorded in old book catalogues. The oldest surviving catalogue, the chapter Yiwen zhi 藝文志 in the official dynastic history Hanshu 漢書, includes a section on military skills (Bing jiqiao 兵技巧) that lists eight books on archery and crossbow training.

Six centuries later, not a single one of these texts survived. The bibliographical chapter Jingji zhi 經籍志 in the history book Suishu 隋書 lists but a single book on archery, namely Mashepu 馬射譜 on shooting from horseback that was already lost in the 7th century. The bibliographical chapter of the Xintangshu 新唐書 lists no more than three books on archery.

From the Song period 宋 (960-1279) on, books on archery were shifted from the bibliographical category of military writings to that of "miscellaneous skills" (za yishu 雜藝術), and thus de-politicized. Lists can be found in the bibliographical chapters of the encyclopaedias Tongzhi 通志 (63-70 Yiwen lüe 藝文略) and Wenxian tongkao 文獻通考 (172-183 Jingji kao 經籍考, and that of the history book Songshi 宋史 (202-209 Yiwen zhi 藝文志). Unfortunately, nothing of these texts has survived, barring a few quotations.

Archery remained an important art of war during the Ming period 明 (1368-1644), in spite of the increasing importance of firearms on the battlefield. Archery was likewise highly esteemed by the Qing dynasty 清 (1644-1911), as one of the traditional cultural and military virtues of the Manchus.

The first research on ancient texts on archery was carried out by Tang Hao 唐豪 (1897-1959), who published his article "Zhongguo wuyi tuji kao" 中國武藝圖籍考 in the journal Shuowen yuekan 說文月刊 (1940) 2. His list of 80 writings discerned between practical military (she) and ritual writings (yijie 儀節). A first commentary on 19 archery books, the article Woguo tizu yiliao jieti 我國體育資料解題, was published in the series Zhongguo tizushi cankao ziliao 中國體育史參考資料. The series Qingdai shezi congshu 清代射藝叢書 was planned to include 16 Qing-period books on archery, but because of financial reasons, only the first collection of four books was realized. It consists of the books Sheshuo 射說 by Gu Gao 顧鎬, Xueshelu 學射錄 by Li Gong 李塨 (1659-1733), Zhengnan shefa 征南射法 by Huang Baijia 黃百家 (1643-1709), and Kechang shefa zhinan che 科場射法指南車 by Li Qi 劉奇.

Further research brought to light a total number of about 120 books on archery that had been written through Chinese history. Of these, about half has survived. The most comprehensive list on books on ancient archery can be found in Ma Mingda's 馬明達 Zhongguo gudai sheshu kao 中國古代射書考 from xxx /year/. More information on archery can also be found as chapters in various military treatises.

逢門射法 二篇 (lost) Fengmen shefa () NN
陰通成射法 十一篇 (lost) Yin Tongcheng Shefa () NN
李將軍射法 三篇 (lost) Li Jiangjun Shefa (Han) 李廣 Li Guang
魏氏射法 六篇 (lost) Weishi shefa () NN
強弩將軍王圍射法 五卷 (lost) Qiangnu jiangjun Wang Wei Shefa (Han) 王圍 Wang Wei
望遠連弩射法具 十五篇 (lost) Wangyuan liannu shefa ju () NN
護軍射師王賀射書 五篇 (lost) Hujun sheshi Wang He Sheshu (Han) 王賀 Wang He
蒲苴子弋法 四篇 (lost) Pujuzi yifa () NN
繳書 二篇 (lost) Jiaoshu (Han?) NN
弩射秘法 (lost) Nushe mifa (Han) 劉寵 Liu Chong
雜鄉射等議 三卷 (lost) Za xiang she deng yi (Han) 庾亮 Yu Liang
弓箭論 一卷 (lost) Gongjianlun (Han?) 任權 Ren Quan
尤射 一卷 Youshe (Wei) 繆襲 Miao Xi
馬射譜 一卷 (lost) Mashepu (Liang) NN
弓訣 一卷 (lost) Gongjue (Tang) 李靖 Li Jing
射經 一卷 Shejing (Tang) 王琚 Wang Ju
射記 一卷 (lost) Sheji (Tang) 張守忠 Zhang Shouzhong
射經 一卷 (lost) Shejing (Tang) 田逸 Tian Yi
九鑒射經 一卷 (lost) Jiujian shejing (Tang) 韋韞 Wang Yun
射訣 一卷 (lost) Shejue (Tang) 韋韞 Wang Yun
射鑒九圖 一卷 (lost) Shejian jiutu (Tang) NN
射訣 一卷 (lost) Shejue (Tang) 王堅道 Wang Jiandao
射法指訣 一卷 (lost) Shefa zhijue (Tang) 王思永 Wang Siyong
射經 三卷 (lost) Shejing (Tang) 張仲素 Zhang Zhongsu
射訓 一卷 (lost) Shexun (Tang) 張仲殷 Zhang Zhongyin
童子善射術經 一卷 (lost) Tongzi shan sheshu jing (Tang) NN
射口訣 一卷 (lost) Shekoujue (Tang) 張商 Zhang Shang
九章射術 三卷 (lost) Jiuzhang sheshu (Tang) 張商 Zhang Shang
五善正鵠格 一卷 (lost)
五善射序 一卷 (lost)
Wushan zheng hu ge
Wushan shexu
(Wudai) 程匡柔 Cheng Kuangrou
射法 一卷 (lost) Shefa (Wudai) 黃損 Huang Sun
射書 十五卷 (lost) Sheshu (Southern Tang) 徐鍇 Xu Xie, 歐陽陌 Ouyang Mo
射訣 三卷 (lost) Shejue (Southern Tang?) 李章 Li Zhang
神射式 一卷 (lost) Shensheshi (Song) 王德用 Wang Deyong
射法 (lost) Shefa (Song) 劉昌祚 Liu Changzuo
劉氏射法 一卷 (lost) Liushi shefa (Song) NN
集古今射法 一卷 (lost) Ji gujin shefa (Song) NN
射經 四卷 (lost) Shejing (Song) NN
射評要錄 一卷 (lost) Sheping yaolu ? (Han) 李廣 Li Guang
射議 一卷 (lost) Sheyi (Song) 王越石 Wang Yueshi
射法 二卷 (lost) Shefa (Song) 盧宗邁 Lu Zongmai
造神臂弓法 一卷 (lost) Zaoshen bigu fa (Song) NN
弓訣 一卷 (lost) Gongjue (Song) NN
射格 一卷 (lost) Shege (Song) NN
益津射格 一卷 (lost) Yijin shege (Song) NN
金吾射法 一卷 (lost) Jinwu shefa (Song) NN
射訣 一卷 (lost) Shejue (Song) 馬思永 Ma Siyong
增廣射譜 七卷 (lost) Zengguang shepu (Song) NN
射法 一卷 (lost) Shefa (Song) 劉懷德 Liu Huaide
射義提要 一卷 (lost) Sheyi tiyao (Song) 何珪 He Gui
神射訣 一卷 (lost) Shenshejue (Song) 張子霄 Zhang Zixiao
弓試 一部 (lost) Gongshi (Song) 呂惠卿 Lü Huiqing
廣弓經 一卷 (lost) Guanggongjing (Song) 紀亶 Ji Tan
馮氏射法 (lost) Fengshi shefa (Song) NN
強弩備術 三卷 (lost) Qiangnu beishu (Song) NN
射訣 一卷 (lost) Shejue (Song) 魏氏 Master Wei
弧矢譜法 一卷 Hushi pufa (Yuan) NN; 陳元靚 Chen Yuanjing (comp.)
鄉射禮圖注 一卷 Xiangshe litu zhu (Ming) 王廷相 Wang Tingxiang
射禮集要 一卷 Sheli jiyao (Ming) 陳鳳梧 Chen Fengwu
射法摘要 (射學摘要) 一卷 Shefa zhaiyao (Shexue zhaiyao) (Ming) 胡秉中 Hu Bingzhong
新刊武學至寶射法捷要 一卷 Xinkan wuxue zhibao shefa jueyao (Ming) NN
鄉射直節 一卷 Xiangshe zhijie (Ming) 何景明 He Jingming
射禮集解 一卷 Sheli jijie (Ming) 朱縉 Zhu Jin
射學指南 (lost?) Shexue zhinan (Ming) 高武 Gao Wu
飲射圖解 一卷 Yinshe tujie (Ming) 聞人詮 Wen Renwuan
射法 一卷 Shefa (Ming) 俞大猷 Yu Daqiu
射篇 一卷
弓篇 一卷
Shepian
Gongpian
(Ming) 唐順之 Tang Shunzhi (comp.)
射法篇 一卷 Shefapian (Ming) 戚繼光 Qi Jiguang
馬步射法 一卷 Mabu shefa (Ming) 趙光裕 Zhao Guangyu (comp.)
武家彀射譜 Wujia goushe pu (Ming) NN; 趙光裕 Zhao Guangyu (comm.)
武經射學正宗 三卷 Wujing shexue zhengzong (Ming) 高穎 Gao Ying
楊修齡先生較定武經射學正宗 三卷 Yang Xiuling xiansheng jiaoding wujing shexue zhengzong (Ming) 高穎 Gao Ying
弩考 (lost?) Nukao (Ming) 孫堪 Sun Kan
射經 二卷 Shejing (Ming) 李呈芬 Li Chengfen
射義新書 二卷 Sheyi xinshu (Ming) 程道生 Cheng Daosheng
射法啟蒙 一卷 Shefa qimeng (Ming) 程道生 Cheng Daosheng
射家心法 一卷 Shejia xinfa (Ming) 江雲舉 Jiang Yunju
蹶張心法 一卷 Juezhang xinfa (Ming) 程宗猷 Cheng Zongqiu
射史 八卷 Sheshi (Ming) 程宗猷 Cheng Zongqiu
步騎射法圖說 一卷 Buqi shefa tushuo (Ming) 程子頤 Cheng Ziyi
射法總說 一卷 Shefa zongshuo (Ming) NN; 何汝賓 He Rubin (comp.)
新編武備騎射車牌彙奇韜略世法 一卷 Xinbian wubei qishe chepai huiqi taolüe shifa (Ming) 程輔國 Cheng Fuguo
弓馬陣法 一卷 Gongma zhenfa (Ming) 黃獻臣 Huang Xianchen (comp.)
射學指南 一卷 Shexue zhinan (Ming) 楊惟明 Yang Weiming (comp.); 邵元植 Shao Yuanzhi (rev.)
射書 (lost?) Sheshu (Ming) NN
射書 四卷
卷首 一卷
Sheshu
Juanshou
(Ming) 顧煜 Gu Yu
論射 (lost?) Lunshe (Ming) NN
射法 Shefa (Ming) 汪萬頃 Wang Wanqing
射藝津梁 二卷 Sheyi jinliang (Qing) 史德威 Shi Dewei
征南射法 一卷 Zhengnan shefa (Qing) 黃百家 Huang Baijia
射學要編 Shexue yaobian (Qing) 李標 Li Biao
學射錄 二卷 XUeshelu (Qing) 李塨 Li Gong
劉奇科場射法指南車 Liu Qi Kechang shefa zhinan che (Qing) 劉奇 Liu Qi
射書 (lost?) Sheshu (Qing) 郭金湯 Guo Jintang
射說 一卷 Sheshuo (Qing) 顧鎬 Gu Gao
騎步射法 一卷
射法 一卷
Qibu shefa
Shefa
(Qing) 曹日璋 Cao Rizhang, 黎利賓 Li Libin, 夏仲齡 Xia Zhongling (comp.)
射藝心傳 一卷 Sheyi xinchuan (Qing) NN; 朱墉 Zhu Yong (comm.)
射法秘傳攻瑕 一卷 Shefa michuan gongxia (Qing) NN; 朱墉 Zhu Yong (comm.)
射學問答 一卷 Shexue wenda (Qing) NN; 朱墉 Zhu Yong (comm.)
射義 Sheyi (Qing) NN; 朱墉 Zhu Yong (comm.)
射餘偶記 (lost?) Sheyu ouji (Qing) 汪正榮 Wang Zhengrong
貫虱心傳 一卷 Guanshi xinchuan (Qing) 紀鑒 Ji Jian
射法總說 一卷 Shefa zongshuo (Qing) 魯經 Lu Jing (comp.)
射譜輯要 二卷 Shepu jiyao (Qing) 魏振略 Wei Zhenlüe
射法指歸 二卷 Shefa zhigui (Qing) 王國翰 Wang Guohan
射訣集益 一卷 Shejue jiyi (Qing) 陳王謨 Chen Wangmo
射法 一卷 Shefa (Qing) 艾欽 Ai Qin (comp.); 許鏘 Xu Qiang (rev.)
射法總說 Shefa zongshuo (Qing) 張權時 Zhang Quanshi (comp.)
射的說 一卷 射的 Manchu version
(附) 觀馬圖說 一卷
Shedishuo
(app.) Guanma tushuo
(Qing) 常鈞 Chang Jun;
射法指南 一卷 Shefa zhinan (Qing) 石琇瑩 Shi Xiuying
射法 一卷 Shefa (Qing) 徐亦 Xu Yi (comp.)
弩法備覽 二卷
弓法拾遺 一卷
Nufa beilan
Gongfa shiyi
(Qing) NN
射略 一卷 Shelüe (Qing) 王廷極 Wang Tingji
射訣纂要 (lost?) Shejue zuanyao (Qing) 蕭懋光 Xiao Maoguang
射譜 Shepu (Qing) 盧文煥 Lu Wenhuan
騎射論 Qishelun (Qing) 俞萬春 Yu Wanchun
射藝詳說 一卷 Sheyi xiangshuo (Qing) 崔起潛 Cui Qiqian
弓箭圖說 (lost?) Gongjian tushuo (Qing) 劉大木 Liu Damu
射法大全 Shefa daquan (Qing) NN
奇射秘論弓箭譜 Qishe milun gongjian pu (Qing) 張次美 Zhang Cimei, 徐祥 Xu Xiang
射法大全 (lost?) Shefa daquan (Qing) NN

The most important surviving Sheshu 射書 "Book on archery" is a book on archery written during the Ming period 明 (1368-1644) by Gu Yu 顧煜 (1602-1659), courtesy name Mingbai 銘柏, style Xishen Juepu 西神矍圃. He hailed from Wuxi 無錫, Jiangsu, but his dates of life are unknown. His book of 4 juan length is a collection of quotations on the art of shooting in ancient times. The text begins with a commentary on the rules of shooting from the military examinations (Wuke zhizhao shuyi 武科制詔疏議), followed by descriptions of the "standards of archery" (shefa 射法), the "modes of shooting" (sheshi 射式), mounted archery (mashe 馬射) and certain ceremonies surrounding the contest (sheli 射禮). Among the paragraphs quoted in the first two chapters, a lot of texts are marked as "secretly received" (mi shou 秘授), so that it remains unclear from which source the author obtained his information. The chapter of "rituals" quotes from the rules for archery from the military examination, but also from older texts like the Classics Zhouli 周禮, Yili 儀 and Liji 禮記, or the books Wu-Yue chunqiu 吳越春秋, Baihutong 白虎通, the encyclopaedia Chuxueji 初學記, or Yuan Huang's 袁黃 (1533-1606) Bingzhi kao 兵志考, Huang Daozhou's 黃道周 (1585-1646) Mazhengkao 馬政考 or Lao Kan's 勞堪 (1529-1616) Mashuo 馬說, and also from old poems.

A print from the Chongzhen reign-period 崇禎 (1627-1644) was once owned by the Beiping Library 北平圖書館, but it went lost during the Sino-Japanese War.

A chapter Guan Fuzhen's 官撫辰 collection Yunhong donggao 雲鴻洞稿 from the late Ming period was also called Sheshu. Because the collection was prohibited from circulation from the late Qianlong reign-period 乾隆 (1736-1795) on, the Sheshu and the chapters Huojing 火經 "Book of fire (for treating the wooden arms of the bow?)" and Qishu 器書 "Book of tools" went lost.

Sources:
He Qinggu 何清谷 (2000). "Sheshu 射書", in Zhonghua Qin wenhua cidian bianweihui 中華秦文化辭典編委會, ed. Zhonghua Qin wenhua cidian 中華秦文化辭典 (Xi'an: Xibei daxue chubanshe), 334.
Li Xueqin 李學勤, Lü Wenyu 呂文鬰, eds. (1996). Siku da cidian 四庫大辭典 (Changchun: Jilin daxue chubanshe), Vol. 2, 1823.
Ma Mingda 馬明達 (2004). "Zhongguo gudai de sheshu 中國古代的射書", Tiyu wenhua daokan 體育文化導刊, 2004 (5): 71-73.
Zhang Shan 張山, Pei Xirong 裴錫榮, eds. (1994). Zhonghua wushu da cidian 中華武術大辭典 (Nanjing: Jiangsu kexue jishu chubanshe), 330.