Drawing the Bow to Shoot the Hawk

左右开弓似射雕 · Zuǒ Yòu Kāi Gōng Sì Shè Diāo · Movement 02 of 8

From a wide, equal stance, cross the wrists in front of the chest with the palms facing inward. One hand curls its fingers into a dragon claw and pulls back level with the shoulder, while the other hand turns into an eight-character palm and pushes straight out to the side, wrist level with the shoulders. Draw the imaginary bow by opening the chest and looking along the extended arm. Repeat on both sides. It is the widest and most expansive of the eight movements, and the seated version keeps the arm and chest work while removing the squat.

Works on: chest, legs, shoulders, lungs
Time: 1 min
Difficulty: Moderate
Seated version: Yes

The standing version of Drawing the Bow to Shoot the Hawk

Shift the weight to the right leg, relax the waist and sink the hips, and step the left foot out to the left about shoulder width, keeping both knees naturally straight. Relax the shoulders and bring both palms up, crossing at the wrists in front of the chest as the elbows bend, with the heels of the hands roughly level with the Shanzhong point and the left palm on the outside, both palms facing inward. The 2018 correction text gives the position differently: fingertips level with the shoulders, the palms about 30 cm from the chest, and the arms reaching slightly forward.
Sink the elbows and draw them back a little. Curl the fingers of the right hand into a drawing-bow claw, and rotate the left arm inward with the wrist set so the left hand becomes an eight-character palm, the palm angled to the front and the fingertips pointing up. In the eight-character palm the middle, ring and little fingers bend only at the first and second joints with the third joint straight; in the drawing-bow claw the first joint of the thumb folds in and the other four fingers bend only at the first and second joints with the third joint straight.
From the straight-knee step-out, bend the knees slowly and evenly into a square horse stance, keeping the weight from shifting toward the drawing-bow side. Push the left palm out to the left with the wrist level with the shoulder and the fingertips pointing up, and pull the right claw back level with the shoulder, the drawing elbow leading the movement horizontally so that the pushing wrist and the drawing elbow are both level with the two shoulders. Hold the stretch and look along the line of the pushing palm.
Shift the weight to the right and straighten the left knee slightly. Open the fingers of the right hand into a natural palm and sweep it up and to the right, using the drawing elbow as the axis: the claw becomes a palm, swings up first until the fingertips pass above the head, then lowers sideways to shoulder height with the wrist upright and the palm angled to the front, so that the middle fingertip traces an upper semicircle of about 180 degrees. Open the left hand into a natural palm with the palm angled to the front and look at the right palm.
Continue shifting the weight to the right and draw the left foot back in to a feet-together stance. At the same time lower both palms to the sides, bend the elbows and cup them in front of the lower abdomen, palms facing up, fingertips opposite each other about 10 cm apart.

Breathing

Exhale as you open and draw the bow; inhale as you return to centre.

The seated version

This is the part most other guides leave out. If standing for a full round is difficult, uncomfortable or simply not something you want to do today, the movement still works from a chair.

From a chair, sit tall with both feet flat on the floor and hip-width apart. On a chair the seat takes the place of the step-out in the standing form, so there is no step and no knee bend; the two sitting bones carry the weight evenly and the legs stay still through the whole movement.
Relax the shoulders and bring both palms up, crossing at the wrists in front of the chest as the elbows bend, both palms facing inward. The two sources place this cross differently and both are kept here: the group standard puts the heels of the hands roughly level with the Shanzhong point, the point at the middle of the chest, with the left palm on the outside, while the 2018 correction text puts the fingertips level with the shoulders, the palms about 30 cm in front of the chest and the arms reaching slightly forward.
Sink the elbows and draw them back a little. Curl the fingers of the right hand into a drawing-bow claw: the first joint of the thumb folds in, and the other four fingers bend only at the first and second joints with the third joint straight. Rotate the left arm inward and set the left wrist so that the left hand becomes an eight-character palm, the palm angled to the front and the fingertips pointing up; in this palm the middle, ring and little fingers bend only at the first and second joints with the third joint straight. Both shapes are named as faults when they are wrong, so check them before the arms move.
Exhale. Open the chest and push the left palm out to the left with the wrist level with the shoulder and the fingertips pointing up, and pull the right claw back to shoulder level, the drawing elbow leading the movement horizontally so that the pushing wrist and the drawing elbow are both level with the two shoulders. The two arms pull against each other along one straight line and the stretch is held. On a chair, where there is no horse stance to square up into, keep both sitting bones evenly weighted instead, and do not let the weight collapse toward the drawing-bow side, which would put the pushing arm high and the drawing arm low. Look in the direction the pushing palm faces.
Shift the weight onto the opposite sitting bone and open the fingers of the right hand into a natural palm, using the drawing elbow as the axis and letting the hand lead ahead of the elbow: the claw becomes a palm, swings up first until the fingertips pass above the head, then lowers sideways to shoulder height with the wrist upright and the palm angled to the front, so that the middle fingertip traces an upper semicircle of about 180 degrees. Sweeping it forward in a flat arc is the fault this correction names. The two sources word the hand change differently and both are kept: the group standard has the palm open and sweep up and to the right with the wrist level with the shoulder, while the elbow-as-axis and the 180-degree upper semicircle come from the 2018 correction text. Open the left hand into a natural palm with the palm angled to the front and look at the right palm.
Return to centre, lower both palms to the sides, bend the elbows and cup them in front of the lower abdomen, palms facing up, fingertips opposite each other about 10 cm apart.
Cross the wrists in front of the chest again and draw the bow to the other side, so that each side is trained once per round. Repeat one to three rounds each side. Let the shoulder blades move and the chest widen; the range matters more than the force.

Helpful cue

Open the chest and extend one arm to the side; look along it

Do not do this

Letting the neck crane forward instead of turning gently from the upper spine.
Holding the shoulders up near the ears while the arms are extended.
Bending the knees far past a comfortable range in the standing version.
Bending the knees as soon as the foot steps out. After stepping out, let both knees straighten naturally, and cross the wrists in front of the chest with the fingertips level with the shoulders and the palms about 30 cm from the chest.
Faulty hand shapes. In the eight-character palm the middle, ring and little fingers should bend only at the first and second joints with the third joint straight; in the drawing-bow claw the first joint of the thumb folds in while the other four fingers bend only at the first and second joints with the third joint straight.
Letting the weight drift toward the drawing-bow hand so that the pushing arm rides high, the drawing arm sits low and the stance becomes uneven. Bend the knees squarely into an even horse stance and keep the pushing wrist and the drawing elbow level with the shoulders.
Sweeping the drawing hand forward in a flat arc. Use the drawing elbow as the axis, open the claw into a palm, swing up first until the fingertips pass above the head, then lower sideways to shoulder height with the wrist upright, so that the middle fingertip traces an upper semicircle of about 180 degrees.

Who should take extra care

Reduce the range if you have an active shoulder injury.
Avoid deep squatting if you have knee pain; the seated adaptation removes this entirely.

Safety first

Ask your doctor before starting if you have heart disease, uncontrolled blood pressure, dizziness or fainting, a fall in the last 6 months, surgery in the last 3 months, diagnosed osteoporosis, a hip or knee replacement, a painful joint, or pregnancy.
Pain is a stop sign. Stop with burning, pressure or sharp pain; ordinary muscle tiredness is different from pain.
For seated work use a sturdy, armless, wheel-free chair with a firm seat against a wall. Keep both feet flat, and use a stable book under the foot if you need it.
For every standing or balance movement keep a fixed support within one arm's reach.
Never hold your breath. Breathe with the movement, and return to normal breathing when the effort rises.
If you feel dizzy, sit down, wait one minute, and end the session for that day.
Drink water, practise at least one hour after a meal, and use non-slip shoes or a non-slip bare-foot surface.
Use a comfortable range. Forward bends come from the hips with a long, neutral spine; avoid sudden twisting.
This programme is not medical treatment and does not replace physiotherapy.

What the research says

A Bayesian network meta-analysis comparing five forms of traditional Chinese exercise, including Tai Chi and Baduanjin, reported significant benefits in balance performance for each form, with results varying by the balance outcome measured.

Sources

General Administration of Sport of China, Health Qigong Centre, Common Errors in Baduanjin and How to Correct Them (per form)
Group standard for Baduanjin (Chinese Health Qigong Association / China Association of Chinese Medicine), graded movement breakdown — consulted via a government re-publication, 2026-06 (full citation not yet recorded)
Narrative review, New options for improving physical activity participation for older people — Baduanjin (2026)

Common questions

Can I do Drawing the Bow to Shoot the Hawk sitting down?

Yes. The seated adaptation keeps the chest, legs, shoulders, lungs work and removes the standing balance challenge. Both feet stay flat on the floor. The full seated steps are listed further down this page.

How long does Drawing the Bow to Shoot the Hawk take?

About 1 minute for one round at a slow pace. The quality of the movement matters more than the number of repetitions — move slowly enough that your breathing stays even and unforced.

What does Drawing the Bow to Shoot the Hawk work on?

It mainly involves the chest, legs, shoulders, lungs. In the traditional framing it belongs to the 左右开弓似射雕 principle; practically, it is a slow mobilisation through that area rather than a strength exercise.

When should I be careful with Drawing the Bow to Shoot the Hawk?

Reduce the range if you have an active shoulder injury. Avoid deep squatting if you have knee pain; the seated adaptation removes this entirely.

What else is Drawing the Bow to Shoot the Hawk called?

In Chinese it is 左右开弓似射雕 (Zuǒ Yòu Kāi Gōng Sì Shè Diāo). English sources use Drawing the Bow to Shoot the Hawk, Drawing the Bow to Shoot the Eagle, Drawing the Bow and Shoot the Hawk. The movement is the same in every case.

Written by LiHe — practitioner, teacher and consultant in qigong and traditional health practice. Review status and sources are shown below where available.

This is general movement education, not medical advice. It does not diagnose, treat or cure any condition. Read the full disclaimer.

The Chinese names are the traditional names of the movements. They are not medical claims, and this site does not diagnose, treat or cure any condition.

Last reviewed: 2026-10-08
Movement data: Standing form follows the Chinese Fitness Qigong Association standard routine. The chair versions are this pack's own adaptation, written for a seated reader.. Version v0.5.