The ancient folklores reflect men’s eagerness for learning the skills for flying like birds in the sky. The early Chinese were the first to touch the sky through the invention of the kites.
Traditionally, the Chinese kites were the vital parts of religious ceremonies. The riot of color in these Chinese kites signified the brighter and cheerful sides of human living. The ancient Chinese scientists were smart enough to employ these kites in the job of weather forecast. Whatever may be the intention behind the invention of Chinese kites, they were unanimously accepted as the forerunners to balloons and gliders that eventually led to the invention of aeroplanes.
In ancient China, these gorgeous kites were known as ‘Zhiyuan’ and they were regarded as one of the technical instruments. But even then the aesthetic sides were not ignored. The Chinese kites used to come with heavy decorative works that added great artistic value to these vibrant Chinese creations.
The Chinese kites are specially designed involving three main parts. First the thin strips of bamboos are flexed to build the frame of the kite, then thin papers are draped over the framework and lastly the kites are heavily ornamented with such accessories as pieces of chiffon, ribbons or small motifs.
Chinese kites come with myriad shapes and sizes ranging from that of butterflies or dragon flies and many more. The paper materials of Chinese kites are thin but extremely tenacious with long fibers. Sometimes high quality silks are also used as the material for the Chinese kites.
Weifang in Shandong Province in China is known as the ‘World Kite Capital’. If you share a passion for flying kites, you must visit the Weifang Kite Museum, a home to many award winning kites. This is the place where world Kite festival is convened every year drawing thousands of kite enthusiasts from across the globe.