Traditional archery is not one single method. This reading guide is for people curious about historical equipment and different shooting traditions, without assuming that every technique belongs together. # A verified starting point [The Way of Archery: A 1637 Chinese Military Training Manual](https://www.thewayofarchery.com/book.html), by Jie Tian and Justin Ma, presents translation and commentary on Gao Ying's Chinese military archery writing. The authors' page explains the book and provides purchasing information. Their [main website](https://www.thewayofarchery.com/) also provides a route into their work. Start with the context of the system before borrowing an isolated technique from a video. # Further titles to investigate The original Reddit resource discussion also identifies: - **Ottoman Turkish Bows: Manufacture and Design**, by Adam Karpowicz. - **The Art of Shooting a Short Reflexed Bow**, by Adam Swoboda. - **The Longbow Series: Fletching Medieval Arrows**, featuring Mick Manns, Mark Stretton and Steve Stratton. These are reading/viewing leads from that older collection, not claims that a particular edition or DVD is currently in stock. Confirm the author, edition, language and format with a legitimate publisher or seller. # Keep history and practice distinct Ask whether a resource is presenting surviving historical evidence, a modern reconstruction, or a personal teaching method. Those can all be interesting, but they answer different questions. Historical equipment descriptions are not instructions to copy a demanding setup without suitable training. **Join the discussion:** Which tradition are you exploring? Recommend a source and explain its focus, intended reader and any language or access limitations. # More in this series - [Traditional Archery Resources: Where to Start](/forum-thread.html?id=3aba820b-5d30-4832-9e27-338fa84b8d2e) - [Learning to Build Bows: Books, Articles and Community Resources](/forum-thread.html?id=7f9582f0-1512-4b78-95c6-393a6562e908) - [Arrow Building and Tuning: A Resource Shelf for Wooden Arrows](/forum-thread.html?id=5f330b71-adb5-4f98-bee4-0a3f70cf8bed) # Sources and updates Inspired by [Cinderella-99 and contributors' traditional archery resource collection](https://www.reddit.com/r/TraditionalArchery/comments/3f0vxq/a_comprehensive_list_of_resources_for_traditional/), with additional research from the original resource sites linked above. BowStrike's descriptions are original; the linked creators retain their own work. Links checked October 6, 2026. Prices, editions, stock and access requirements can change. Please reply with corrections or useful additions.