弓と弩 (特集 居延漢簡の研究)

Abstract

Since the bow is rather rarely mentioned in our MSS., this kind of weapon seems to have been of less important. Generally speaking, in the Han period the composite bow was in use rather than the plain bow made of horn. The core of a composite bow was made of wood and reinforced with sinew or horn, and the description in our MSS. of the composite bow is in general agreement with that mentioned in the Chou-li (周禮) or those found by Tan Ch'ieh-chung (譚且冏) at Ch'eng-tu (成都). We find the same kind of bow in the mural paintings found at T'ung-kou (通溝). The stone bow is mentioned in our MSS., and we find many a reference to the cross-bow, which seems to have been important as a weapon against the mounted invaders. The cross-bow, which was a kind of composite bow made of wood, was of' various kinds according to its intensity, and sometimes we meet with mention of those which seems like European ballista. The cord was fixed with cranequine or stirrup, while the bolt is rather short. Though the poisoned-arrow of aconite and the like is mentioned in other ancient sources, we do not find any in our MSS. The trigger was discovered in a tomb at Lo-lang (樂浪) in Korea.