Chinese Kite

Kite, also called zhiyuan or yaozi (paper kite in the shape of an eagle, swallow, etc) in ancient China, was invented by the Chinese people. It is said that Lu Ban, a well-known ingenious carpenter, made a bamboo magpie that could fly. During the Five Dynasty Period (907-960), a man called Li Ye invented a paper kite in the shape of an eagle and flew it in the sky. Later on , people began to fix on kited some strings, which ,when high in the air, would vibrate and ring in the breeze like a guzheng (a stringed instrument).since then, the popular Chinese name for the kite had become fengzheng (wind zheng).it was used for military purpose as well as for delivering messages.

The renowned places producing kites in China are Beijing, Tianjin, Weifang of Shandong Province, Nantong of Jiangsu Province and Yangjiang of Guangdong Province. To make a kite, one need first make a frame and the cover it with paper or thin tough silk, which can then be painted with pictures. It requires high craftsmanship to make a good kite and particular skills to fly a kite steadily in the sky.

There are various designs of Chinese kites, including birds, beasts, insects and fishes, of which the most popular are the swallow, butterfly and eagle. There are also kites made in the shape of characters of mythical stories such as the Monkey King. And when the centipede-or dragon-shaped kite composed of many sections is flown up high, it thrashes and dances about like a huge dragon in the air.

Because flying kites is beneficial to one’s health, it is gaining popularity in many countries. The Chinese regards it as a game as well as a sport. Some people hang kites on the wall for decoration. Chinese kites are now available for sale in Japan, Southeast Asia and many countries in Europe and America.

In recent years, an international kite festival has been held annually in Weifang of Shandong Province since China is the birthplace of kite.