This time, we made a composite bow based on paintings of a design called “xiaoshao gong” (literally “small tipped bow”). This bow design was used in China in the time of Ming dynasty.
A composite bow is a bow made from horn, wood, and sinew laminated together with animal glue. The horn is placed on the belly, facing the archer, and the sinew is on the back, facing the target. The wood core is sandwiched between those two layers. With this construction, a composite bow limb can be bent much further than a wooden one without breakage, yet still has a reasonable stiffness. Different kinds of composite bow was used widely for warfare, hunting, sport, and ceremonies in Eurasia and Africa for thousands of years.