| The history of ancient Chinese kites is a very long one. | | | | - Soft Winged (flexible structures behind just one spar) |
| Chinese kites have been made and flown all this time | | | | - Flat (just like the name says) |
| as a part of the national culture. According to historical | | | | Spectacular Chinese dragon kites are an example of |
| records, this has spanned more than 2300 years. For | | | | the centipede type. Other dragons are more like |
| the purpose of this article, 'ancient' means any kite | | | | models of imaginary creatures, such as the modern |
| constructed just like the original design, with the same | | | | 3D Dragon Kite. These are not necessarily made in |
| materials and techniques. | | | | China. |
| Some of the traditional bamboo and silk hand-painted | | | | Kite classification can be much more detailed. |
| creations made today have hardly changed from | | | | According to one source I came across, there are no |
| those flown many hundreds of years ago. There is | | | | less than 300 varieties of kites in China! This system |
| such a contrast between Chinese kites and those | | | | takes into account groups such as human figures, fish, |
| from the rest of the world! | | | | insects, birds, animals, written characters and so on. |
| Chinese kites are works of art, whether done by a | | | | There is a range of standard sizes too, ranging from |
| master craftsman or a class of young children helped | | | | extra large right down to miniature. The biggest take a |
| by their teacher. In both cases, the idea is to fly an | | | | team of men to fly, the smallest are just the size of |
| artistic design on the end of a string. The traditional | | | | the palm of your hand. |
| designs done by highly skilled craftsmen and artists | | | | Ancient Chinese Kites in Action |
| have even been exhibited in museums, such is their | | | | History aside, Chinese kites these days are flown for |
| artistic worth. | | | | very similar reasons to everywhere else in the world. |
| Traditional kite handicraft has flourished in three | | | | Making Chinese kites and flying them can be |
| Chinese cities in particular. Tianjin, Beijing and Weifang | | | | recreation for the whole family. But there are a couple |
| are steeped in ancient Chinese kites history. | | | | of extra dimensions too... |
| Types of Ancient Chinese Kites | | | | Traditionally, kite flying was believed to be good for |
| It's interesting trying to classify these kites, since the | | | | people's health, and this view is still held by some. A bit |
| Chinese themselves have come up with so many | | | | like some Westerners regarding laughter as being |
| different ways to do this. Maybe that's not so | | | | beneficial, who hasn't read something about that at |
| surprising since it's a big country and they have had so | | | | one time or another. |
| long to do it. Perhaps the handiest broad classification | | | | For a long time, most ancient Chinese kites have been |
| for most purposes is the following list: | | | | flying works of art. Real art, as proven by the fact |
| - Centipede (multiple flat sections stacked together | | | | they could be found in many art collections around |
| plus a 'head') | | | | China. A good example was when the Yanhuang art |
| - Rigid Winged (paper or silk tightly stretched over rigid | | | | museum in Beijing ran a kite exhibition. |
| spars) | | | | |