17th Century Puzzle

[Philip]

Thomas,
Like the Koreans, the Chinese under Qing rule maintained their tradition of military archery (at least in theory) until quite late. Rigorous tests of shooting ability on foot and from the saddle were a part of the Chinese military officers' exams until the entire traditional examination system was abolished in 1905. Although the bow had co-existed with the musket up to the mid-19th cent., we see that from that point onwards, firearms gradually supplanted it as even matchlocks began to give way to imported percussion-lock (and later breechloading) guns and rifles during the second half of the century. The impetus was undoubtedly due to unprecedented Western military pressure, which for China began with the First Opium War in the 1840s. The unavoidable move towards newer styles of firearms under these conditions can be compared to Ottoman Turkey's evolution from matchlock to flint to later firearms systems in its military under centuries of competitive pressure from a hostile Europe on its doorstep.