Making a Chinese Qing Horn Composite Bow

This bow took me about six months to complete. It is a traditional Qing Dynasty horn-sinew composite bow, built in the classic Qing style. One of the most distinctive features of the Qing bow is its long siyahs, making it a long-siyah design. This structure enhances stability and improves energy storage efficiency. In this project, I followed traditional methods recorded in ancient Chinese texts as closely as possible. My main reference was 天工开物 (Tiangong Kaiwu), a Ming dynasty encyclopedia documenting traditional Chinese craftsmanship and technology. Throughout the process, I relied on historical records rather than modern simplified techniques. The main materials used include: • Water buffalo horn • Sinew • Fish bladder glue • Deer antler • Birch bark Each layer was carefully shaped, glued, dried, and refined over the course of many months. Traditional composite bow making requires great patience — the materials must naturally settle and bond over time. This project is my attempt to learn from and help preserve traditional Chinese craftsmanship. I would also like to sincerely thank DZ, who helped me complete this bow. His generous patience and guidance taught me so much about horn composite bow making.😄 Thank you again for your continued support. I hope the Chinese New Year brings happiness to you as well — and that across cultures and distances, we can celebrate and share joy together.❤️🎉🎉🎉❤️