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Store Clings to Artistry of Traditional Archery

Yang Wentong's most exciting memory was the bow he made for Mao Zedong. He poured all his effort and skill into that bow, earning him praise from the Great Helmsman. Before Yang retired, he passed on the skills he had learnt at the Juyuanhao archery store to his son Yang Fuxi.

Archaeological discoveries reveal that China's first bows and arrows date back some 20,000 years. The bow and arrow reached their zenith in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), where the royal court established a factory in the Dongsi area, whose traces can be found in the Jianchang (arrow factory) Hutong beside the Confucius Temple. The factory kept producing throughout the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911 AD).

Yang Fuxi's Manchu ancestors worked there for several generations, including his grandfather Yang Ruilin. Yang Ruilin started to learn how to make bows and arrows when he was 18 years old. He mastered this skill and then opened his own archery store in Juyuanhao.

He invented several new types of bow and invited experienced archers to establish the store as a leader in the industry. Even during the Second World War, Yang Ruilin kept Juyuanhao open and taught his skills to son Yang Wentong, future father of Yang Fuxi.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Juyuanhao developed fast. Juyuanhao was the only traditional archery store to survive New China, with bows exported to Mongolia and Great Britain.

Yang Fuxi has inherited his grandfather and father's passion for bows and honed his skills. He mastered the more than 200 traditional procedures and then began trying his own innovations. Yang then met up with China's national archery team, who not only bought his products, but also helped him with their innovative suggestions. Now Juyuanhao is more like a creative studio for archery fans.

Traditional Chinese bows and arrows are rarely seen today, but Yang and company is working hard to maintain the craftsmanship. Want to know more? Contact: lastword@btmbeijing.com.