The Chinese KiteWhen I was 12 years old, the father of a friend of mine went to China on a business trip. When he came back to the UK he gave his son a kite. It was a huge, clean cut diamond with a fierce dragon painted in red and gold; its tail hung down in long fiery ribbons. From then on, for me, China became synonymous with kite. The kite was invented and popularised in China around 2800 years ago using the readily available silk for sails and bamboo for the frames and has been a cultural icon for China ever since. Said to have been invented by 5th Century BC philosophers Mozi 墨子and Lu Ban鲁班, the kites’ earliest usage included testing the wind, lifting men, and for signalling and communication during rescue operations. They were also utilised in military situations where kites were used to frighten and confuse enemies and as lines of communication for troops across battlefields.
Marco Polo reportedly saw kite flying in China around 1280 AD and although he may have brought back and introduced noodles to the West (which some say is the predecessor of pasta), he failed to bring back a kite, and they weren’t widely seen in the West until sometime between the 17th and 18th Century when they became a popular pastime for children.
Once introduced into Europe, the kite was again employed in various ways to further scientific study, first in Scotland in 1749 by Alexander Wilson who used it as a meteorological device for measuring temperature variations at different altitudes, and later in 1752 by the American Benjamin Franklin who subsequently invented the pointed lighting rod conductor after flying a kite during a storm.
After almost 3000 years, China still remains the kite capital of the world. Whenever the sun is out and the wind is up you will see children and grown-ups alike unreeling their kites in parks, squares and on bridges throughout the country.
There are many different traditional styles of Chinese kites all with various pictorial motifs. The main ones include the hard bamboo-framed, bird-shaped Shanyan (swallow) and Hawk kites, the long-tailed, ‘centipede-style’ Dragon kites (some reaching over 60 feet long) and the soft-winged Butterfly and Goldfish kites. There are even Whistle kites which, as their name suggests, have whistles attached to them and sing as wind passes through them. Many of these can be seen on display at the largest kite museum in the world in Shandong province’s Weifang City潍坊 which holds over 1000 kites. The city also hosts an annual international kite festival each April.
To see kite flying in Beijing (or have a go yourself) various websites recommend the following places:
Tiananmen Square
The largest city square in the world, Tiananmen makes for a wonderful spot to fly a kite (you can rent them here) and is great for people watching as well.
The Temple of Heaven
There are more open places in the Temple of Heaven than any other park in Beijing. The best kite flyers gather here to show off or learn from the masters.
China Millennium Altar Square
Right in front of the China Millennium Altar, the square is open enough for flying kites. On any given spring day, there are many kites hovering in the sky over the CMA.
Chaoyang Park
Chaoyang Park is the biggest park in Beijing. There are open areas where people fly the special Chinese two-handed kites.
Mangshan Mountain
Northeast of the Ming Tomb Reservoir (Shisanling Shuiku), Mangshan Mountain has a slight slope extending down to the reservoir which is great for camping and flying kites. With mountains on one side and water on the other, this also makes an ideal spot for getting away from the city.
If visiting Beijing, you can purchase kites at several markets; good selections are available at Guanyuan Market and on the fourth floor of Sanlitun’s Yaxiu Market.
Sources:
-Wikipedia
-beijingscene.com
-http://en.bcnq.com
-www.wfkitemuseum.com
