The Analects – Chapter 56 (3.16). Ritual archery as moral cultivation

3.16

The Master said, “The saying

In archery it is not the hide that counts,
For some men have more strength than others,

is the way of the Ancients.”

子曰：「射不主皮，為力不同科，古之道也。」

Notes

Confucius said: “In archery, piercing the leather target is not the primary aim. For physical strength varies among individuals — this was the way of the ancients.”

In Confucian tradition, archery (one of the Six Arts) was never mere competition but a ritual vehicle for moral cultivation.

The passage from the Analects tells that Physical strength differs naturally. Judging by penetration unfairly disadvantages the weaker. Archery rites instead focus on:

• Hitting the center — Precision and composure
• Ritual decorum — Bowing, poise, respect

See more details about The archer’s virtue in ancient times.