DRAWING THE CARVED BOW, ARCHING AS THE FULL MOON: A DISCUSSION ON THE MECHANICS OF MODERN COMPOUND BOWS

The bow and arrow have served not only as a pivotal long-range weapon in ancient times, but also endure today as a modern competitive sport embodying precision and elegance. From primitive single-material hunting bows to composite-material bows that dominated pre-gunpowder battlefields, and further to today’s compound bows with exquisite design and excellent performance, the application of mechanical principles plays a key role throughout the bow’s evolution. Inspired by Su Shi's famous poem “drawing the carved bow arching as the full moon”, this paper traces the structural evolution of bows, and analyzes the mechanics of key components of modern compound bows, such as composite-material limbs and eccentric cams. Furthermore, it discusses the promoting role of mechanical innovations in achieving lightweight, highly efficient, and stable bows.