China is the hometown of kites. Making and flying kites is one of the Chinese ancient folk skills. Kites are also an important part of the Chinese culture.
Kites were invented by the Chinese during the Spring and Autumn Period, having a history of over 2, 000 years. It is said that Mozi, an ancient Chinese thinker made a wood bird after the work of three years. This might be the earliest kite in human history.. Some folk custom experts told that ancestors (祖先) invented kites mainly to memorize their family members and friends.. They hope that their sadness could be passed to the dead through the kites. In the Northern and Southern Dynasties, kites began to be used for the purpose of sending messages. Since the Sui-Tang Period, paper has been used to make kites because of the papermaking.In Song Dynasty, flying kites became a favorite outdoor sport of the people
According to researches, kites were spread to Korea in the tenth century and then to Japan.. It was said the time when it was spread to Europe was the thirteenth or fourteenth century.
. The controlling string (绳) and the pulling force are decided by the size and the shape of the kites, the environment and the wind. Right wind often blows in spring, making it the perfect season for flying kites. If we want to play for fun, flying kites should avoid cloudy days, and rainy days. Safety is also important. Flying kites should be done on an open ground and it is not wise to fly kites in dangerous places such as water side and tops of buildings.
A. Flying kites needs skills B. But they weren't spread to Europe at that time C. So on the Qingming Festival people would make and fly kites D. Then Lu Ban made changes to the kite of Mozi by using bamboos E. The British museum called Chinese kites "China's fifth greatest invention " |
