Archery World Cup held in Pudong

Things you need to know about traditional Chinese archery

Traditional Chinese archery culture is one of the oldest cultures in China. [Photo/Official website of National Ethnic Affairs Commission]

Traditional Chinese archery culture is one of the oldest cultures in China. Aspects of traditional Chinese archery could be found in various parts of ancient society, including production, culture, politics, education, military, religion, customs, sports and medicine.

In the late Shang Dynasty (c. 16th century-11th century BC), a sports and cultural activity called sheli, or ceremonial archery, emerged and used archery as the carrier for music, dance, ceremony, ethics and morals. It was incorporated into the noble education system of the Zhou dynasty (c. 11th century-771 BC), which inherited many customs and institutions of the Shang dynasty.

As one of the traditional Six Arts  (ritual, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy and arithmetic) that have their roots in Confucian philosophy, archery has a long history in China. It went into a period of decline during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), but is now undergoing a revival.