近年來雖然有不少學者從文學史、文字學、版本學、音樂史等各種不同角度探討上古歌謠〈彈歌〉，採用的卻幾乎全為文獻研究法，而很少運用考古及傳世文物所呈現之物質證據。本文乃借助考古學者有關「彈」的考古文物之研究成果，探討〈彈歌〉所描述的物件「彈弓」之發展源流，藉以印證此歌謠的創作年代與動機、深入暸解其歌詞之內容涵義；連帶亦證明弓生於彈。本文又根據學者韓江蘇對〈殷墟花東H3卜辭〉之研究所揭示的商代「彈侯禮」活動，推論此禮應即是以「彈弓」向鵠的發射「彈丸」的射禮，是為西周被列為「六藝」之一的「射」之濫觴。本文亦通過和〈彈歌〉歌詞極其相似的古老河陽山歌〈斫竹歌〉，證實〈彈歌〉確是狩獵歌曲。簡言之，經由文物研究的印證，得以更完整、豐富地反映文學作品中的訊息與情感，加深對〈彈歌〉的正確理解；同時，對其他有關彈弓的文學作品，或文獻裡有關「彈」之記載，也可以作更明確的詮釋

In the past decades although there are many scholars did their research on the ancient folksong ＂Song of the Slingshot＂, from various angles such as literature history, philology, edition study and music history. The research method they used was, however, predominantly literature research only. The material evidences provided by / embedded within archaeological or pass-down artifacts are rarely been drawn on. This article is therefore, using the results of the relevant archaeological researches, looking into the origin and the development of the artifact ＂Chinese slingshot＂. This article also drawn on a research paper ＂Studying the Shooting Etiquette and Rite in Shang Dynasty Based on the Chronological Record of the H3 Oracle Bones of Eastern Locus at Huayuanzhuan in Yin Relic＂ by Han Jiang-su. Han's research revealed the activities of the ＂Rite of Shooting＂ in Shang dynasty. Based on his report, this article is able to assume / conclude that the Rite of Shooting was actually using ＂slingshot＂ to issue bullets towards the target. At the same time, the skills of shooting bullets by a slingshot was also the origin of ＂shooting lessons＂, one of the six essential subjects of studies in the West Zhou dynasty. This could be one of the reasons that the folksong ＂The Song of Slingshot＂ has been spread and passed-down for thousands of years