China Archery

Li Guangbi (AD 708-764) was born in Liucheng, Yingzhou (now Chaoyang City of Liaoning Province) and a famous general in mid Tang Dynasty.

The father of Li Guangbi was a chieftain of Khitan and pledged allegiance to Tang Dynasty during Wu Zetian’s reign. Li Guangbi was eager to learn and good at archery and horsemanship when he was young. He was appointed successively as the Military Tribune of Shuofang (Now northwest of Lingwu in Ningxia Autonomous Region) and Hexi (Now Wuwei in Gansu Province).

In the early period of 15th year of Tianbao Reign of Tang Dynasty (AD 756), Li Guangbi was recommended by Guo Ziyi to be the Vice Military Commissioner of Hedong and participated in pacification of the An Shi Rebellion. He guarded three cities of Taiyuan, Heyang and reoccupied Luoyang.

After Li Yu, Emperor Daizong of Tang Dynasty ascended the throne, he trusted eunuchs Cheng Yuanzhen and Yu Chaoen, who were in discord with Li Guangbi and smeared his reputation. He led his army and guarded Lin Huai. He didn’t dare enter the palace for two to three years. Li Guangbi was always quite strict with the army. Nobody dared look upwards when he gave an order. The court summoned him for several times and he didn’t obey the order. Consequently, his soldiers didn’t obey his order. Li Guangbi was so ashamed and became ill. He died in Xuzhou in the second year of Guangde Reign (AD 764)

Shi Wansui (549-600) was a famous general in the Sui Dynasty from Duling, Jingzhao (now southeast of Xi’an City in Shaanxi Province).

Shi Wansui was ‘valiant, good at riding and archery when he was young and fond of reading military books’ (Sui Books. Biography of Shi Wansui). After the death of his father, he inherited the title of Lord of the Taiping County.

Shi Wansui was on a par with the famous generals of He Ruobi and Han Qinhu and was promoted to the Great General of the Left Guard. He was highly talented and was reputed as “General of Cavalry” by He Ruobi. In sharp contrast with Yangsu’s severe laws and penalties, as well as killing of the innocent, Shi Wansui was hated by Yangsu for his commanding tactics and died of Yangsu’s circumvention.

One month later the national flag of China was hoisted again on the field where Zhang Juanjuan won the host the first Olympic gold medal in archery.

Chinese para-archer Cheng Changjie (in Chinese ???) beat Italian Marco Vitale 108-104 in men’s individual recurve w1/w2 on Sunday, the last individual event in the sport.

In the first series of the final, the 19-year-old on wheelchair didn’t start well with a 8 but progressed steadily with a 9 and a 10, achieving 27 points to beat his rival with 2 points.

He then kept the momentum to enlarge his advantage to 4 points in the second series.

Pulling himself together, the Italian showed his sharpness in the third series by posting a 10-9-9 tally. The gap was shortened to 3 points.

In the breathtaking last series, Vitale who started first aimed for a while and shot out the first arrow. A 10.

Cheng made a 9. Just two points ahead.

In the secord shot, both archers achieved 9. 99-97.

When many Chinese spectators were crossing fingers for their archer, Vitale lost his nerves. His score, a 7, gave the Chinese more hope.

Cheng managed to live up to the expectation of his supporters, finishing his performance with a third 9.

Almost all Chinese spectators stood up in excitement, while the champion unfolded a national flag and waved.

“I am so happy to be here,” said Cheng who smiled all the way to the press conference hall.

The teenage athlete lost his right leg in a car accident. “Thanks to those who supported me,” he said.

The bronze medal was grabbed by Tseng Lung-hui from Chinese Taipei, who won the hard-won medal after a shoot-off.

“I was so lucky,” he said, adding that he had recorded the performance of Cheng with his video camera, which he would bring back to show to his fellow archers. “I will tell them: look, this is the performance of the gold medalist.”

In the competition of men’s individual compound w1, Czech archer David Drahoninsky outscored world record holder British John Cavanagh 108-103. After winning the gold, the man with his hair dyed in the colors of Czech national flag rocked on his wheelchair.

Bronze medal was clinched by American shooter Jeff Fabry, who, without the right arm and leg, shot with his mouth but set the Paralympic record last Friday in the quarterfinal.

“Last Tuesday was the 30th wedding anniversary of my parents, and I will dedicate this medal to them,” said the gold medalist Drahoninsky who joked that his mom would hit him if he did not win and kiss him if he could bring back a medal.
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