Ming thumb rings: Gao Ying's take

Justin Ma · Post by **Justin Ma** » Wed Sep 21, 2011 5:54 am

I've been wondering for a while what typical Ming dynasty (1368--1644 AD) thumb rings looked like. So I had a chance to read Chinese Ming dynasty archer/author Gao Ying's writing about the kinds of thumb rings used during his time (1630s I believe). Here you can find a PDF of the section on thumb rings --- http://www.cinnabarbow.org/GaoYingThumbRingChapter.pdf . It would be great if other people could take a look and see if they have a different interpretation from what I'm going to provide. (And if there are copyright issues here, please let me know.) Gao Ying describes three genres of rings that existed during his time. He criticizes the first two styles, and he advocates the third style (this is his own personal opinion, of course).

(1) "The Lamp" (一盏灯). I see two interpretations of that paragraph. The ring is either a cylindrical ring for which the archer wears a leather lining underneath, or it is a short-lipped ring with a round hole and a kulak similar to Turkish rings.

(2) "New Mint" or "New Lotus" (荷新样). A lipped ring with a kulak.

(3) "Gao's Four Victory Ring" or "Gao's Four-Quick Ring" (高公四捷机). So-named by Gao Ying's friends because they liked his ring design. It is a thick lipped ring with a string guard with an opening in the middle (两足). This looks similar to the middle-most ring made by Peter Cua in this photo ( http://www.atarn.org/FAQ/Peter%20Cua%20rings.jpg ), as well as to some styles of Korean thumb rings / amgakji ( http://anthromuseum.missouri.edu/online ... khorn.shtm ).

Gao Ying also has a passage where he describes how to make a "Four Victory Ring" and seems to suggest owning two rings --- one for when your thumb is skinny, and one for when your thumb is thick after shooting a while.

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 8:43 am

I was aware of these drawings and have an unpublished English translation of the section. The similarities to one form of Korean ring is probably another demonstration of the influence of Ming ideas on Yi dynasty Korea (Choson). I have seen other rings in the Grayson collection that may represent the first type. I made a reproduction in an acrylic ivory substitute a month ago. I tested it and it worked quite well. A kulak would improve it.

Justin Ma · Post by **Justin Ma** » Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:22 pm

Bede wrote:I have seen other rings in the Grayson collection that may represent the first type. I made a reproduction in an acrylic ivory substitute a month ago. I tested it and it worked quite well. A kulak would improve it.

That reproduction of "The Lamp"-style ring looks to have a very short lip. What's the proper technique for using one? (How do you prevent the string from striking your thumb pad on release? What fraction of the thumb tip or thumb pad presses against the middle finger?)

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 5:33 am

The ring covers between one third and two fifths of the distal segment of the thumb. The other part of the pad is pressed evenly against the middle segment of the middle finger. With the correct angle, there is no contact with the pad of the thumb and the string on release. The index finger only touches the thumb tip and the nail exposing three quarters of the nail including the base. The release is very fast. The ring is loose enough to pull straight off the thumb with some effort, but there is sufficient friction to stop it coming off by accident.

Justin Ma · Post by **Justin Ma** » Mon Sep 26, 2011 2:19 pm

Bede wrote:A kulak would improve it.

Interesting. What benefit would the kulak impart for this ring (e.g., making the release a little slower but more predictable, or making it easier for the ring to stick to the string)?

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 8:36 am

One of the real benefits of the kulak is is make the ring stay in one place on the thumb. This especially important on hot days. Also you can use a thicker kulak in winter to make the ring fit better when your thumb shrinks from the cold.