Kites may date back as far as 3000 years, where they were made from bamboo and silk in China . Exactly how or when a kite was first flown is a mystery, but one legend suggests that when a Chinese farmer tied a string to his hat to keep it from blowing away in a strong wind, the first kite was born. Another theory suggests that to make a high official's banner more visible, it was strengthened with a bamboo frame and flown. Or it may have been inspired by observing the wind-filled sails of fishing boats (the sail has been used in China for 3000 years). Perhaps the earliest kites consisted of a huge leaf attached to a long string (there is a type of Asian leaf that is ideal as a kite).

Children of course delighted in playing with kites, but ancient woodblock prints illustrate its dual nature as a toy and utilitarian device. Kites for work or play were made from wood, bamboo, paper, or silk. The earliest written account of kite flying was about 200 B.C. when the Chinese General Han Hsin of the Han Dynasty flew a kite over the walls of a city he was attacking to measure how far his army would have to tunnel to reach past the defenses.In the fifth century B.C., kitemaker Kungshu P'an made bird shaped kites which could fly for up to three days. In 478 B.C. a Chinese Philosopher, Mo Zi, spent three years making a hawk from light wood or bamboo which sailed with the wind.

Kites used in 1232 A .D. flew messages over Mongol lines. Large kites were used to carry warriors armed with bows and arrows that would fire down on the enemy. In the 13th century Marco Polo wrote about how the shipping merchants tied some protesting sailor to a huge kite and launched the kite with the wind before the ship set sail. If the kite went high and straight it meant a quick and prosperous voyage but if it crashed or did not fly well it was a bad omen.

Kites fitted with hooks and bait were used for fishing, and kites with strings and whistles made musical sounds while flying. The Chinese built many colorful kites for fun and they were widely used in religious ceremonies. More sophisticated kites were used to test weather conditions. As a forerunner to balloons and gliders they were important to the advancement of controlled flight.

In the late 1500s, the kite was introduced to Europe by way of the Italians. Kite flying was first mentioned in England in a popular book of marvels and tricks in 1589. A book by John Bate's, The Mysteryes of Art and Nature in the British Library collection, dated 1635 shows a kite being used as a Fire Drake (a fire drake in Germanic mythology is a fiery dragon and drachen is German for kite).

KITE HISTORY OF CHINA

  A s kites were invented before the written word many suggestions have been made as to how they originated. The Chinese had the basic building materials to make kites - silk and bamboo and were the first people to write about kites. In 478 BC it was recorded that a Chinese Philosopher, Mo Zi, spent 3 years making a hawk from wood which flew. There are many theories as to how the kite was invented - one is that a Chinese man's hat may have been blown off and was caught by the neckband which made it fly in the wind. Another theory is that to make a high officials banner more visible, it was strengthened with a bamboo frame and flown, or it may have been inspired by seeing the sails of fishing boats being blown in the wind. (The sail was in use in China 3000yrs ago)

  T here are many stories from ancient China about kiteflying. In 200 BC a Chinese General Han Hsin used a kite to fly over a castle he was besieging then used the length of the kite line to ascertain how far he had to tunnel so that he could successfully enter the fortress. Another General under siege used kites with harps fitted to them and at night flew them over the enemy camp. He sent spies into the camp and when the kites started making a wailing noise the rumour was spread around that the Gods were warning them of a great defeat the next day and consequently the enemy fled in terror. (The name for kite in China is FEN ZHENG, fen is wind and zheng is a stringed musical instrument.)

  T he Chinese Emperors also used kites in wartime to send signals to their troops. Large kites were used to carry warriors armed with bows and arrows that would fire down on the enemy below. In the 13th century Marco Polo wrote about how the shipping merchants tied someone (usually a drunk) to a huge kite and launched the kite with the drunk attached before the ship set sail. If the kite went high and straight it meant a quick and prosperous voyage but if it crashed or didn't fly well it was a bad omen which meant no-one set sail.

  W hen paper was invented approximately 1000 years later the making of kites became a pastime in which most people could partake. Originally a simple flat rectangle, the kite developed into complex 3-D shapes elaborately decorated and flown on religious and ceremonial occasions offering fertility, happiness, victory etc.

  T he designs on most Chinese kites have a symbolic meaning or illustration from Chinese folklore or history. Tortoises, cranes and peaches signify long life, bats are a sign of good luck, butterflies and flowers represent harmony and a dragon design represents power and prosperity.

                
a bat and peach kite - symbol of long life and good luck

F or over 1000 years the Chinese thought that by flying kites they would avoid bad luck and the higher the kite was flown the more prosperous they would become. The kite is still used in China today to ward off evil spirits and to bring good luck and is also regarded to be a good and healthy pastime for people of all ages. The Chinese also believe that looking up at a kite improves your eyesight and when tilting the head backwards the mouth opens slightly ridding the body of excess heat thus achieving a good Yin-Yang balance in the body. 

 Most Chinese kites are made with a 3 diamentional bamboo frame and a silk or paper covering. The complex shapes and designs are achieved by bending bamboo over a flame or soaking it in water. Over 100 pieces of shaped bamboo are used in the construction of some dragon heads.

During the Cultural Revolution kite flying was banned and a few Chinese kite makers who ignored the ban were given a 3 year jail sentence and all their kites were destroyed by the Red Guards. Others kite makers who wanted keep their skills and carry on the ancient tradition made miniture kites in secret. These kites are now highley collectable. The present government encourages kite making and flying as a means of keeping healthy, also the manufacturing and exporting of kites which adds to the economy.