Empires throughout the Eurasian landmass often strongly associated their respective " barbarian " counterparts with the usage of the bow and arrow , to the point where powerful states like the Han Dynasty referred to their neighbours , the Xiong - nu , as " Those Who Draw the Bow " For example , Xiong - nu mounted bowmen made them more than a match for the Han military , and their threat was at least partially responsible for Chinese expansion into the Ordos region , to create a stronger , more powerful buffer zone against them .