PRINCIPLE OUTLINES OF MILITARY PREPAREDNESS
MOUNTED ARCHERY
Written by Cheng Tzu-I (Cheng Ziyi) in 1638 C.E.
© Translated to English by Marek Aquila 2020
© Translated to English by Marek Aquila 2020
INSTRUCTIONS FOR HORSE ARCHERYFor mounted archery, you need to select a good horse, train with it and prepare to use it. Let it get used to galloping, not cutting corners at speed, turning right in response to pressure from the riders left knee and vice versa. You can't start shooting until the horse and rider adapt to one another.
Bows and arrows should be in a bow holster and quiver. You release one arrow after the other. Today, many people hold two arrows at the grip of the bow because they think it is unskilled to take an arrow from a quiver. The way to shoot is to push the bow away like "the moon rises from your chest." You nock arrows like a "crossbar on weighing scales". Hold the bow canted in your left hand and touch your nipple with your right hand. Slowly draw the bow, then release. As long as your upper arms and shoulders are level, you will kill with every shot. If you can master three styles, "Shooting over the horse's head" (meaning shooting forward), 'Shooting on the Stirrups' (meaning sideways or down at the ground) and "Parthian Shooting" (meaning rearward), then you will master the skills of horse archery. In today's target arenas, just "shooting over the stirrups" is considered enough. But on the battlefield, you may suddenly get an enemy charge from the right. In this case, needless to say, you need to be able to shoot ambidextrously. If you can't do this, you just need to press with your left knee and make the horse quickly turn to the right so that you can kill the enemy. Practicing with horses is an officer's top priority: on the battlefield its life or death. INSTRUCTIONS FOR CAVALRY WARFAREWhenever you enter into battle, make sure your saddle, girth, and reins are tightened correctly. For saddles, use the girth with two buckles, and if you want to be truly secure, use a pair of belly straps made of "thousand catties leather".
The way the reins are secured depends on the preference of individual riders: some fix them on the left and right above the stirrups; some knot them around the horse’s neck, some hang them from the pommel. You should use a belt to secure the stirrups under the horse's belly and to the stirrup leathers on the opposite side. This will give you a solid footing and prevent you from falling if the horse is suddenly startled. In battle, "As powerfully as if chasing the wind, eyes move like lightning, draw a bow completely, immediately release the arrow," and then every shot will kill. The long and short weapons you use on horseback should support each other: in front is a spear, a pike, or a saber, then a spiked mace, axe, or a short sword, then a leather or chain whip. Long weapons can back up short weapons; short weapons can protect long weapons. This constitutes well-organized cavalry warfare. HOW TO PICK UP ARROWSIn mounted archery, when you are going through normal training, you can hold the reins with your right hand and the bow on the left. With the bow in your left hand you can use the siyah (string nock) to pick up the arrows that fall on the left (and the opposite for arrows that fall to the right). If the arrows get stuck in the ground, catch them between the string and the bow-limb to pull them out.
If you have secured your stirrups together with leather, you can use a different method. Suppose the arrow is on the left, hold your right foot in the stirrup, and release your left foot, then you can easily leans over and stretch down to the ground to pick up the arrow. (Arrows on the right side would be the opposite.)
This not only helps to pick up arrows: it is also convenient for cutting off enemy heads to prove your kills. In battle, the last thing you want is to dismount from your horse! ADDITIONAL ARCHERY TEXTS |