Crossbow hits the bull's-eye in Pengshui

A traditional sport, Miao crossbow, is becoming increasingly popular among young people in Chongqing's Pengshui Miao and Tujia autonomous county, as youth display a keen interest in Chinese culture and history in recent years.

Located in southeast Chongqing, Pengshui is home to 318,000 Miao people who comprise 45.4 percent of the county's population.

The crossbow holds significant historical and cultural importance among the Miao ethnic group in China. The Miao people have a long tradition of using crossbows for hunting, warfare, and cultural ceremonies. The crossbow is not only a practical tool for survival but also a symbol of bravery and skill within Miao society.

In the 1980s, it began to grow in popularity among many ethnic groups. In 1986, it was listed as a competitive event at the 3rd National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities.

The Miao crossbow is known for its unique design and craftsmanship. It is typically made of wood and bamboo, with intricate carvings and decorations that reflect the cultural heritage of the Miao people. The crossbow bolts are often decorated with feathers and other embellishments, adding to their aesthetic appeal.

In 2005, the production and shooting skills of the Miao crossbow were included in the intangible cultural heritage list of Pengshui county.

Pengshui boasts a long history of making and using the Miao crossbow with a professional team set up in 1989. In 1999, the Pengshui Crossbow Team represented Chongqing for the first time at the 6th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities and got fourth place in the individual event. Now, it is the home to the only professional Miao crossbow shooting and manufacturing team in the southwestern municipality which has won eights golds, 14 silvers and 12 bronzes at the national events.

"All of our crossbows are made in the traditional way," says Zhang Hao, coach of the team.

The traditional Miao crossbow is made without any metal parts, but with wood, bamboo, animal bone, rope and other materials, he says.

In the county, local communities and schools will organize crossbow activities every month to promote the sport, especially among young students. In Miao culture, men were trained in the traditional art of using the crossbow from a young age.

"More and more people are participating in crossbow shooting," says Wang Heng, a champion of the men's standing position in the national standard crossbow event at the 10th National Traditional Games of Ethnic Minorities in 2015.

"This intangible cultural heritage is our excellent ethnic culture, and we have a responsibility to protect and pass it on," he says.

Among the 10 members of the local crossbow team, most are Miao people. They all have their own jobs, but when they have free time, they gather together for training.

"We strive to improve their competitive level while making efforts to pass on this skill to future generations," the champion says.

The Miao ethnic group can be traced back to a group living in the eastern plains of China over 7,000 years ago. More than 11 million Miao people are now scattered across nine provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions in southern China.