The following is my translation of a section from the traditional Chinese archery book “The Orthodox Martial-Archery Classic,” or 武經射學正宗 [and 指迷集] by Gao Ying. This section focus primarily on the draw, hold and release.
Translation by Henry Chan. All rights reserved.
If you have any comments and questions please email me. If you have found mistakes, or wish to challenge my interpretation, please do not hesitate and get in touch. By no means I am an expert on Gao Ying's method, so I do not use any photos or videos of my own shooting as a representation. I wish to show the Chinese and English side by side, the original [Japanese] illustrations, and let you, the reader and archer, to learn this method without my errors in the way.
[Translator’s note: Gao Ying was a Ming Dynasty archer, he was most likely a martial artist tutor focusing on archery teaching up and coming martial artists on passing the imperial examination. He wrote his book in his late 60s [1637], probably after a very profitable life time as a martial artist and trainer for various archers and martial artists. It was rare for poor people to practice a lifetime of martial arts in ancient China, nor was it common for a poor martial artists to be well educated in writing, as well as publishing ones own writing. So I suspect Gao Ying came from a fairly well off background.
His writings were lost in China after Ming Dynasty, and Gao Ying's ideas were absorbed by other archers without his name being recognized. But Ogyu Sorai 荻生 徂徠 [1666 - 1728], a Japanese Confucian scholar excelled in Chinese language, published a woodblock version of Gao Ying’s book in original Chinese as well as in Japanese. Ogyu Sorai traced quite a few prominent Japanese archery system of his time to Gao Ying’s archery method. Ogyu Sorai and other Japanese scholars and archers have preserved the writings of Gao Ying, this rare gem of Chinese archery system was kept safe for a few hundred years until native Chinese readers and archers alike can read it again.
In the 1980s, a Taiwanese archer found a woodblock copy of Gao Ying’s book while traveling in Japan, and he copied the text via pen and paper. That version [1985] has been online for some time, however, I was reluctant to make a translation based on it because of rumors of typos.
I wanted to find a woodblock version that was widely circulated back in the days after Ogyu Sorai published it. Came 2014, I found an original Japanese wood block version printed in 1785 in original Chinese, the book was published by Keio University. Thanks to google books, the woodblock book has been converted into digital media. If you are interested in obtaining a copy, please feel free to send me an email.
Again, this translation is only a small segment of Gao Ying’s writings, mainly focusing on the draw, hold and release of his "Inchworm" method.]
Because Gao Ying, later in his life, drew the bow using his left hand, therefore all reference to bow side is “front” and the draw side is “back.”
Inchworm method, drawing the bow:
尺蠖惟屈，所以能伸。開弓將前肩先下，前臂番直向地，後肘朝上扣弦提起，前肩下定不動，只將前臂舉起，兩拳一齊撐開，前拳與目齊，後拳與腮齊，而弓已彀矣。
The inchworms, in order to stretch, would first bend itself. To draw the bow, first lower your front shoulder [note: rotating and pressing the humerus into the rotator cuff, therefore securing and locking it in place], the forearm rotating facing the ground [Note: “forearm rotating,” my interpretation, from various sections in Gao Ying’s manual, is rotating the elbow facing out and the forearm facing toward the ground], point your back elbow up while pulling on the string, your front shoulder do not shift. Bring your front arm up and both fists prop open together. The front fist is on the level of your eyes and the back fist is on the level of your cheek. Thus the bow has achieved full draw.
此時前肩尚低，前後臂俱高，前肩從下達上，送前掌托出，後臂從高瀉下，而後拳平引，則弓不期彀而自彀矣。
By now, the front shoulder is still low while both forearms are high, the front shoulder pushing the front fist up from the bottom. The back arm rushes downward [note: I do not believe this means the back arm literally rushes downward as a whole, but Gao Ying is referring to the strength of the back arm is pressing downward to secure the draw. Later on, Gao Ying explains further the movement of the back arm which would clarify this], pull your back fist backward in a straight line, and you will achieve full draw without wasting a lot of stamina.
如諸葛弩之控弦，只以後機從高壓下，弩身直挺按定不動，故不勞力而弩自彀。今人不知彀法，引弓先聳前肩，專恃臂力撐開，故弓一彀，臂力已竭，隨即吐出，不能從容審的，如何發矢必準？
This is like the Zhuge Liang crossbow mechanism, when you press down on the back of the mechanism of that crossbow, the bow straightens and does not move, thus you can get full draw without wasting energy.
Today’s people does not know how to achieve full draw, they always bulge their front shoulder, and forcing the bow open using their arms. Hence when they achieved full draw they were already spent. They release immediately, having no time to calmly examine the target, how can they achieve any accuracy?
若用尺蠖勢彀弓，後手向上一提便彀。既彀之後，前肩從下按實，則前拳直撐，力量有餘。後拳平引，與前拳相對以張其勢，兩肩并實運開，輕勻以發矢，大小左右，隨意所指，何難於中的乎哉。
If one is to use the Inchworm method to draw the bow, one can achieve full draw by lifting the back hand upward. Upon achieving full draw, the front shoulder is low, the front fist pushing forward, you will have plenty of stamina left. The back fist pulling backward in a straight line, to help increase the strength, the back fist aligns with the front fist. Both shoulders open up, lightly and uniformly release the arrow. You can thereby adjust for accuracy, why would it be difficult to hit?
Inchworm method, near the full-draw point:
引弓將彀時，前肩愈按實下捲，送前掌根托實弓心。大低引弓初滿時，前拳髚起與鼻齊，後拳與耳齊。
As the bow is about to achieve full draw, the front shoulder is continuously folding downward [Note: locking the humerus into the rotator cuff] and pushing forward toward the bow grip with the root of your palm [the lower half of your palm where the pinky, ring finger, and middle finger touch if you fold them toward your palm]. As the bow achieves full-draw, the front fist is on the level of the nose, the back fist is on the level of the ear.
弓極彀時，前拳撐實對的，後拳漸低與腮齊。此時前肩尚低于前後拳臂，則骨節猶未平直也。然臂力將盡，以肩力繼之。兩肩并力瀉開，矢鏃已至弓弝中間，浸進則兩臂平直彀極矣。
When the bow is fully drawn, the front fist is pointing toward the target, the back fist is slowly lowered to the level of the cheek. At this point, the front shoulder is still lower then the both forearms and fists, that is because your joints are not fully straightened yet. But as the arm strength is diminished, you transfer the pressure toward your shoulders. Push both shoulders open, and bring the arrow tip into the grip. You straighten your arms as the arrow tip recedes into the middle of the grip, and you have full draw.
Inchworm method, before release:
將發矢時，後拳無退步，故後肘宜漸垂，輕勻以脫出.
Before you release the arrow, your back fist has no more room to go, therefore dip your back elbow slowly, and lightly release the arrow.
弓極彀時，後臂骨節已盡，後肘與膞合緊。發矢時，後肘不垂，後拳更無退步。故以肘稍垂，矢發時方可垂。若未發時肘不宜垂，後拳切勿下垂，只宜平脫。
As you achieve full draw, the back arm joints are fully aligned, tuck in your back elbow [note: literally, 後肘與膞合緊 “tightly squeeze the back elbow and bicep together”]. When you release, if the back elbow does not drop, there would be no room for the back fist to go, thus you drop the elbow a little bit at that moment, but not before you release. Do not drop your back fist, it should go straight back.
[Note: here I use “drop” for the word “垂” instead of “dip.” Previously Gao Ying mentioned the back elbow was already slowly dipping a bit that also seem to work well when he tells you to tuck in the elbow. Therefore, at this point, to accommodate the back fist going backward and releasing the arrow, it would make sense to “drop” instead of repeating the slow “dip.”]
[Note: here I use “drop” for the word “垂” instead of “dip.” Previously Gao Ying mentioned the back elbow was already slowly dipping a bit that also seem to work well when he tells you to tuck in the elbow. Therefore, at this point, to accommodate the back fist going backward and releasing the arrow, it would make sense to “drop” instead of repeating the slow “dip.”]
今人學尺蠖勢者，始初亦知下前肩矣。至弓彀發矢時，後肘稍垂，後拳亦從之而垂，引弓非不彀也。但後拳垂，前拳亦為後拳所牽而垂。前拳既垂，前肩復聳矣。孰知前拳若垂，發矢必不及遠，前肩復聳，則前臂主持不定，矢出亦不準，而始初下前肩之功俱不效，所以學尺蠖勢者，未見其美也。
Today’s people learning my Inchworm method, at the beginning they know they have to lower their front shoulder. When they release, they dipped the back elbow slightly and bringing their back fist down as well. It’s not that they did not get a full draw, but dipping the back fist drags down the front fist as well. When the front fist dips, their front shoulder get pushed upward. Hence if the front fist dips, your arrow will not reach. If the front shoulder pushed upward you will lose stability in the front hand, and your arrow will miss the mark. Therefore you would waste all the effort to keep the front shoulder low, and not being able to achieve the real benefits of the Inchworm method.
故學尺蠖勢，而先下前肩者，當極彀時發矢，必將後拳守定，與前拳相對勿垂。只將後肘垂，而前肩從下送前拳，從上達出，弓愈滿，前肩愈下，後肩愈聳，兩肩绷開，鏃至弓弝中間浸進，兩拳相對平脫。此時前肩之下屈者方伸，後肘之勢將垂，而矢正從此出，是得機于此。得勢于此。而尺蠖之法，方見全美而收其效。
Thus, those who practice Inchworm method first lowers their front shoulder, upon achieving full draw and about to release the arrow, would have a steady back fist on the same level as the front fist, dip the back elbow, the bow gets fuller as the front shoulder pushes upward toward the front fist from a lower position. The lower the front shoulder, the more raised the back shoulder, both shoulders stretch open and slowly bringing the arrow tip into the bow grip, both fists on the same level while the arrow is let loose. At this point you would straighten the front shoulder all the way while the back elbow was about to drop, and you release arrow at this moment. If you can achieve that precise point and state, then you would acquire the maximum result from Inchworm method.
使前肩未盡伸而矢即出則失之早。前肩已伸而矢不出則失之遲。後肘不垂而出矢，則氣未足而出無勢。後肘已垂而後出矢，則氣竭出亦無勢。是前肩後肘之間，遲速失宜，出矢皆不可言得機勢。惟前肩下極方伸，後肘平極將垂，矢正從此發，飽滿充足，不先不後，方為得機得勢。嗟嗟非沈雄之士，安能至此哉。
If you release the arrow without straightening your front shoulder you are releasing too early. If the front shoulder straightened yet the arrow has not loose, you are releasing too late. If you do not drop your back elbow and the arrow is loose, then the arrow loses the momentum before you achieve the most proficient energy [or alternatively: before you obtain a full breath]. If you drop your back elbow before you release the arrow, then the arrow also loses the momentum because your energy [breath]* has been spent [氣竭, literally “breath exhausted”]. Therefore, the front shoulder and the back elbow have to be timed perfectly; the arrow is released at the precise moment the front shoulder straightens and the back elbow drops. You are neither too early or too late, that is the moment where you achieve both the precise point and state of releasing the arrow. Only those who are perseverance and vigorous can achieve such a state!
[Note: “氣,” since different people translate and understand “chi/qi/氣” very differently, here I simply refer to it as “energy" in some, and "breath” in others].
夫射法只有三大端：始而引弓之速彀也。既而持盈之堅固也；終而發矢之得機勢也。非從尺蠖勢者，不能到此妙境也。 尺蠖勢妙境在此數行，智者勿輕也。
The way of archery has three main elements: the speediness of acquiring full draw, the steadiness in holding the full draw, and releasing the arrow at the precise moment and state. One can not acquire these three elements without practicing Inchworm method. While the magnificence of Inchworm method is stated in a few sentences here, I warmed you not to take it lightly.
Inchworm method, releasing the arrow:
發矢法, 不專用臂，專托力於肩，直推而出，不撇不絕，前肩從下送，前掌根直托，而前虎口自然不緊。彀極肘垂，而矢即發，掌心自然向前，輕勻平脫，體勢反覺朝後，聲色不動，出矢自雄，正所謂「後手發矢，前手不知」者也。較之《要略》所載撒放勢，專以撇絕發矢，銳氣盡露于外，彀弓沉雄之實則不足。重動身搖、矢發偏斜者異矣。
The method of releasing the arrow does not rely on the arms, but on the shoulders. Push the arm forward, one does not twist the bow side ways or flick back fist. The front shoulder pushes upward, the front palm pushes straight forward, and the grip [note: the area between index finder and the thumb] is not tight. When you achieve full draw, drop the back elbow while the arrow is being released, the palm is naturally facing forward. The arrow is released lightly and uniformly, your body in fact felt like going backward. Do not make a fuss at release, then the arrow would exit vigorously. It’s like the saying “when the back hand releases the arrow the front hand is not disturbed.” While the manual “Summary on Military Preparedness” [Ming Dynasty, Cheng Ziyi] recommends you to twist your bow and flick your back fist at release, that vigor is all for show. It is superfluous, lacking in steadiness while acquiring full draw, and shifting your center of gravity and moving the body all over the places only help you miss your mark.
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