Language: Mandarin Chinese
Source: Period dictionary

Description

Gōngbà (弓弝) means "bow grip".1

The grips of bows in the Qing dynasty were usually covered with cork, called ruǎnmù pí (軟木皮) or in rare cases with fabric. Earlier bow grips were entirely covered with cork, often with a small patch of stronger material where the arrow passes. From the late 18th century onwards it became more popular to cover each side of the cork section grip with ray-skin.

 

Arrow spot on a Qing bow grip

Old style grip section of a Manchu bow. The green patch on the left is the arrow passing point called jiàn liūzi.
Sold by Mandarin Mansion in 2018.

 

Bow grip of a Qing bow

The grip section of a Manchu bow of the mid 19th century. As seen from the belly side of the bow.
Sold by Mandarin Mansion in 2018.

 

Other bow parts

Qing bow glossary

#
 

English
 

Chinese
 

Pinyin transliteration
 

 

Bow
 


 

Gōng
 
1. Bow grip 弓弝 Gōngbà
2. Sides of bow grip 弓弝膀子 Gōng bà bǎngzi
3. Arrow slipping spot 箭溜子 Jiàn liūzi
4. Bow ear 弓弰 Gōng shāo
5. Tip 弰頭 Shāo tóu
6. String notch 扣子 Kòuzi
7. String bridge 弓墊子 Gōng diànzi
8. Bow knee (lit. "brain") 弓腦 Gōng nǎo
9. Painted birch bark 畫樺皮 Huà huà pí
10. Bow face 弓面 Gōng miàn
11. Bowstring 弓弦 Gōng xián
12. Bowstring knot 弦挌搭 Xián gé dā

 

Notes
All terms are from: Wuti Qingwen Jian (五體清文鑑) or "Five languages compendium", a Qing imperial dictionary in Manchu, Mongolian, Uighur, Tibetan, and Chinese of circa 1790. Published under the Qianlong emperor.

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