Is it legal to defend yourself with bows and arrows? The legal archery places I know are shooting ranges and competition venues. But if you encounter an armed attack on the way, can you use a bow?

The characteristic of bow and arrow is that it needs to be distanced before shooting, but "distancing" means that there is no physical contact between the two sides at the moment of shooting, so you can't assume that the other side poses an immediate life threat to you.

At this time, your shooting is "preventive" self-defense. According to China's current legal thinking mode, excessive self-defense is appropriate.