directly attacked the warlike emphasis on archery that was probably
practiced during the Warring States period. Minus the question of
strength, a much broader sector of elite society could effectively participate
in archery contests, including those who now specialized in civil skills.
Confucian stress on correct form over effect or function proceeded from
an acceptance of the continued importance of archery contests in elite
circles, and the desire to downplay the value of strength alone. How
many cultivated men were forced to participate in archery contests where
they were beaten by uncouth, sloppy archers with poor form but great
power and accuracy? The objective, external demonstration of archery
skill, which included the ability to penetrate the target, made these uncul-
tivated men seem better than the Confucian gentlemen. Getting the form
correct showed internal cultivation, rather than the mere external strength
of the warlike archer. The Confucian struggle over the value and meaning
of archery contests was part of its larger project to influence cultural
values. As the premier martial art, archery was the symbol, metaphor,
and site of the struggle for the meaning of martial skills.
Thefinal aspect of archery that emerges with the focus on individual
performance in contests is the idea that true mastery of a skill requires a
transcendent mental state. This is different from the focus and discipline
the Confucians stressed. While they saw the correct performance of the
form of archery as a reflection of proper upbringing and cultivation, they
did not consider the practice of archery itself a route to a higher mental
state. The idea that the practice of archery to the level of true mastery
would lead to a superior, or even superhuman, mental state emerged in the
Daoist writings of Zhuangzi and Liezi. The same story of Liezi’s archery
practice is recorded in both texts:
Liezi wanted to show off his skill of archery to a friend. He drew his bow and placed
a cup of water on his left forearm. Then he notched an arrow and let itfly. Before
thefirst arrow hit the target, he had let off the second and the third. When he saw
that all three arrows hit the center of the target, Liezi was quite pleased with
himself. So steady was his hand and so focused was his concentration that the
water in the cup did not spill.
His friend, however, was not impressed. He said to Liezi,“What you showed me
was merely the skill of eye and hand, and not the state of mind of the true archer. Let’s
go up to the mountains and stand on the edge of a cliff. If you can shoot accurately
under those conditions, then I shall be convinced of your mastery in archery.”
The two went up to the mountains, and when they reached the top of a peak,
Liezi’s friend walked toward the edge of a cliff that dropped a thousand feet below.
Standing with his back to the drop and with half of his foot over the edge, he invited
Liezi to join him.
42 The Warring States Period