Fe Doro Manchu Archery
Is a non-profit organisation for promoting the study and practise of Manchu traditional archery. We are currently located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Fe doro is a Manchu term meaning "the old way". It was extensively used by the Kangxi and Qianlong emperors to idealize and promote the apparent frugal ways of their Manchu ancestors and their skills in riding, shooting and upholding the Manchu language. Both emperors were serious archers themselves who frequently showed off their own skills during the hunt and on inspection tours.

Our mission is to rediscover and spread the art of Manchu traditional archery in it's most authentic form and once again establish it among the traditional Chinese martial arts. Indeed, a martial art and not a sport.

Our vision is to establish a community of followers for regular training, tournaments, re-enactment events and further study as well as reproducing Manchu archery equipment.

Founder Peter Dekker's love of antique Chinese arms soon got him into contact with his first antique Manchu bow. He got enchanted by the power and technology that lies hidden in the design of these bows. He came to realise that the Manchu bow is a very specialized bow design that is often not given the credit it deserves because the bow's focus is so different from that of most other bows.

With the combined effort of his own study and the help of a number of experts on related fields he is slowly putting back together the pieces of this long-lost art, the technology and its history. After lecturing, demonstrating and teaching about the subject he realised that the time was getting right to found an umbrella under which others can join the study on a more structural basis.

"I welcome those with similar interest to come aboard and join the studying and recreation of the art of Manchu archery. An adventure that considering the obscurity of sources and wealth of material still waiting to be looked at, is far from completed."

-Peter Dekker