OF ARROW-RELEASE. 



159 



the string, the end of the forefinger assisting in holding 

 the thumb in tliis position. Figs. 11 and 12 iUustrate this 

 release. The arrow is held at the junction of the thumb 

 and forefinger, the base of the finger pressing the arrow 

 against the bow. For this reason the arrow is always 

 placed to the right of the bow vertical. 



This release is characteristic of the Asiatic races, such as 

 the Manchu, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Turk, and doubt- 

 less other cognate peoples. The Persians also practice 

 this release, which they probably accjuired from Ihcir prox- 

 imity to, and association (friendly and otherwise) with, 

 Asititic people of past times. 



As this release is practiced almost exclusively by Mon- 

 golian nations, it may be called the Mongolian release. 



In this release the thumb is protected 

 by a guard of some kind. With the 

 Manchu, Chinese, and Turk, as well as 

 with the Persian, this guard consists of 

 a thick ring, which is worn near the base 

 of the thumb. The thick edge of the 

 ring is brought to l)ear upon the string Chinese thumb-ring, 

 as it is drawn back, and at the same time the string is 

 quickly released by straightening the 

 thumb. The ring may be made of 

 any hard material, such as horn, bone, 

 ivory, quartz, agate, or jade. These 

 rings are often very expensive. I was 

 shown one in Canton that was valued 

 ^. ,, at three hundred dollars. Fi":. 13 



Fir. l-t. _ O 



Chinese thumb-ring of jiuie. illustrates au ordinary liom ring such 



in section. ^.^ n\ > 



as the Cantonese use. 



Fig. 14 shows a Chinese thum1)-riug in section, made 



of jade. This ring, being used with bows having thicker 



strings, is correspondingly larger. The Korean thumb-ring 



is quite unlike that used by the Chinese, as will l)e seen 



Fig. 13. 



