I don't know if anyone saw a show on Discovery times about China, but it discussed the mingling of the old culture with the new. One aspect covered was on a man named, Yang Fuxi. It said he is the last of the Imperial bowmakers. His comes from a long line of bowmakers.
I have a friend that lives in Beijing and had her contact him. I thought it would be neat to own a bow made, supposedly, by the last guy that knows how to make Imperial bows.
She said that he told her the bows are all 50lb draw weights and come with 5 arrows. The limbs are elm backed with bamboo.
The video I am attaching shows him making some of them. He charges 6800 yuan and it takes a year to make one.
Now, 6800 yuan, converted to US dollars is around 987 or so.
So, here is my problem. Buy a piece of history that may no longer be available since he is in his 60s, or pass.
Anyway, here is the link, if anything, is is neat to see him at work:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=UcPj-GEJ2Zc