Whistling Archery
响箭
There are many traditional folk game in Tibet and the unique one is Whistling Archery in Gongbu. Whistling archery is "Bixiu" in Tibetan, which means "sharp cry". Whistling archery in Gongbu has a history of more than 1,500 years. It is created by the people in work and life and is a necessary activity to celebrate harvest and welcome the new year etc. in Gongbu. The traditional folk sport rolls entertainments, cultures, arts and the exercises into one and remains popular to nowadays. Now it is one of the ethnic sports of the country.
西藏有很多民间传统体育竞技活动，其中最有特色的要算工布地区射响箭。响箭藏语称“碧秀”，意为“尖啸”。工布响箭大约有1500多年的历史，它是工布地区劳动人民在生产和生活的实践中发明创造的，也是工布地区在庆祝丰收、迎接新年等重要节庆活动中必不可少的竞技娱乐活动。工布地区的民间传统体育响箭比赛，科学地把休闲娱乐、文化艺术、体育健身高度地结合在一起，所以至今盛行不衰，国家把它列为少数民族体育项目之一。
Whistling-the materials and making of the bow, arrow and target:
响箭——弓、箭、靶的原料及制作
Whistling archery includes the apparatus such as bow, arrow, target range, target heart and rack and so on. First is the bow. The bow is made traditionally with two pieces of bamboo clued together, with a length of 120 centimeters, a width of 6 centimeters and a thickness of 0.7 centimeters. The second is the arrow. It has its unique making method. On the top of a 0.6 long bamboo shaft, a wooden and empty arrowhad, which has a squared head and tapered tail with four small holes on it, is installed. When the arrow is shooting, it makes sharp sound because of the air so it brings about excitement and pleasures to people. The third is target. A target has its difference between the target range and target. Target range is called "Xiaba" in Tibetan, which made of leather like the good deerskin. It prevents the arrow from flying. It is made delicately with quite a number of beautiful and hand-made potterms on. So it is an article of handicrafts. The whole center of the target is "Ben" in Tibetan. It is made of leather with three rings and a diameter of 18 centimeters. The two outside rings have a width of 5 centimeters. The outside ring is to fix the heart and it is white. The second ring is black. The inner ring is red with the print of "玛尔帝" on it and it is movable. When the arrow hits the target the red "玛尔帝" falls automatically. The fourth is rack. The rack is used to put arrows before the game and during the rest at intervals. And it still functions as the barrier between the target and the competitor. There are professional racks and temporary ones. They are usually 4-5 meters long and 0.6 meters high. Besides, the covers should be put on the thumb, index finger and the middle finger of the right hand and an ivory ring on the thumb of the left hand to prevent the fingers from being hurt while the competitors are shooting.
射响箭、要具备弓、箭、靶围、靶心、弓架等。其一“弓”。弓传统制造是用长约1.2米、宽约6厘米、厚0.7厘米的两条竹片胶而成的。其二“箭”。箭的制作非常独特，在长约0.6厘米竹箭杆上装着一个头为方体、尾为圆锥体的空心木制箭头，上面钻有四个小洞。箭离弦后，由于空气作用而发出尖厉的鸣号声，给人带来一阵兴奋和乐趣。其三“靶子”。靶子有靶围和靶子之分。靶围藏语叫作“夏巴”，意为鹿。一般用好的鹿皮制作，用来挡箭向前飞行。制作精美光滑，上面有许多手工缝制的图案，可以说是一件民间手工艺术精品。整个靶心藏语叫作“本”，是用皮革制作，成环形，直径约18厘米，里外共有三圈，外两圈每圈宽约5厘米，外圈用来固定的、用白色，第二圈为黑色，内圈印“玛尔帝”为红色，是活动的，箭射中，“玛尔帝”（红心）便自动脱落。其四“弓架”。弓架既是比赛前和休息时放弓箭的架子，又是靶子与射手间距离固定的栏杆（防止往前走）。弓架既有专用的，也有临时搭建的，一般长4～5米，高约0.6米，另外，射手右手的大拇指、食指和中指要带獐子皮缝的指套，左手的大拇指带象牙戒指，防止射箭时被弦将手指手皮磨伤。
Whistling archery-time, organization, competitors and rules:
响箭——比赛的时间、组织、参加者和规则
Whistling archery competition is a sport activity organized by the masses themselves and held in the festivals, holidays and the slack season. In order to develop the excellent folk traditional culture, a Whistling Archery Association is founded in Linzhi district of Tibetan. Now there are six branches in total in Linzhi district with more than 200 members. According to the tradition, the players are men and they organize the teams according to the village. In the competition, the men and women, the young and old of the same village of the competitors in gala and dress, with the preparation of various delicious and barley liquid come to the competition. They from their song and dance team to encourage their own competitors.
响箭比赛一般是在节假日和农闲期间群众自行组织的体育娱乐活动。为了弘扬民间优秀传统文化，林芝地区专门成立了响箭协会。目前，全地区共有6个分会，会员达200多人。在传统上箭手都为男性，一般以村为单位组成队伍。每当举办响箭比赛时，同村的男女老少都身穿节日服装，备好各种佳肴和青稞美酒，来到比赛现场观看，并组成歌舞队，为自己的箭手歌舞助兴。
The ground is a spacious land of 37-40 meters long and 25-30 meters wide. According to the tradition, the target is set facing to the south. The setting of the target has its traditional meaning and certain scientific theory of the direction of winds. In competition, the competitors stand in a line. And song and dance team also stand in a line vertically to the competitors (the men on the right and the women on the left). Before competition, the competitors and song and dance teams sing the beautiful-melodied and exciting "Gongbu Archery Song". In the competition, the song and dance teams are singing all the time the archery song "Welcome here in hurry" and dance a special "Gongbu Archery Dance." When a competitor hits the target, he is presented a cup of drink.
响箭比赛场地要有一块长37～40米，宽25～30米的空地。传统上靶子设北朝南，箭手由南朝北射箭。这样的摆部既有民间传统习俗上的说头，也有风势方向上的科学道理。比赛时，首先队员们横向排成“一字形”，然后，在箭手们的纵向男女歌舞队分别排成“一字形”（男右、女左）。比赛正式开始前，箭手和歌舞队就要齐唱旋律优美、使人振奋的《工布箭歌》，比赛中，男女歌舞队不停地口唱欢迎光临的箭歌，并且跳一种动作特别的《工布箭舞》，箭手射中靶子，就要敬酒。观众既看赛箭，又看歌舞，真是目不暇接，其乐融融。
There are team and personal competitions in whistling archery. The rules are strict. In each competition there are 10 to 15 turns for a team. In each turn there will be two arrows for each competitor. The first turn starts with the left of the line and the second turn starts with the right and then continues in this way till the end of the competition. If the heart is hit and "玛尔帝" falls, the competitor will score two points. If the black ring falls, one point. In one turn if two arrows hit the target, one arrow is awarded. Hit again, awarded again. The way to count is simple and open. On the left rack of each competitor there are 8 round stones. The player can put one stone to the right side from the left for one score. So the competitios can supervise each other clearly. No one is admitted to go into the ground freely or cross it except for the one who collects that arrows. Otherwise he is considered impolite and will be cursed. There are different rewards for the winners. It is mainly to encourage the competitors accompanied by the materials. Whenever he hits once he is offered a drink. He who wins in the end will be awarded with a pure white hada. He is congratulated with cheers and praised wiht songs.
响箭的比赛形式既有团体赛，也有个人赛，规则较严格。每一次开展比赛活动要进行十轮至十五轮，每轮每人射两箭。第一轮从箭手排着横队的左边开始，第两轮从右边开始，以此推至比赛结束为止。比赛时箭中靶心，只要脱落“玛尔帝”（红心）就得两分，脱落黑圈则得一分。一轮中两箭都射中加一箭，再射中继续加箭。记分方式既简单又公开，每一个箭手前的左边弓架放8颗圆形石子、得一分箭手自己从左边的石子中拿一颗摆放在右边，互相监督一目了然。在比赛期间除收箭人以外，任何人不能在场地内随便走动和横穿，若有此类行为算对人不尊重，要挨大家的责骂。对比赛获胜者的奖励办法有各种各样。一般以精神鼓励为主，物资奖励为辅。只要射中一箭，众人便向他敬一杯美酒，比赛获胜了献一条沾白的哈达，以欢呼声来祝贺，以歌声来赞扬。
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