Such use of kites for military purposes has been a constant record in Chinese historical data.Įmperor Wudi of the Liang Dynasty was surrounded by Hou Jing rebels at Taicheng Nanjing, the Emperor ordered a kite to be used and served as an SOS signal to get help.ĭuring the Tang Dynasty, bamboo strips were placed on the kites, and as they vibrate, would sound like a stringed instrument. Historical data accounts for the use of kites by Chinese Emperors to signal troops from far away. There seems to be validity to it since kite, in China is also known as Fen Zheng (Wind+ Harp). At night, the wailing sounds of the harp across the sky were a sign that the defeat is on their side, making the enemies flee of fear. He used the kites with harps fitted to them and then it was flowing across enemy camps. In 200BC, General Han Hsin used the kite in order to fly across the castle walls that he was trying to take siege.Īnother account was of a General who was under siege this time.
The early history goes back to the Warring Empires/States around 2300 years ago (475 -221 BC). There is validity given that sailboats have been around in China more than 3000 years ago, before the first recorded creation of the kite. In some stories, efforts were being made to make banners for officials to be more visible for the people to read so bamboo was used to strengthen the structure and had it blown away, flying like the sails of a boat. One unique story was of a man whose hat was blown off by the wind and he caught it by the neckband, allowing him to prevent it from getting carried further, giving it a hovering effect. The account was taken from a Mozi text, whose principles are still very much present in modern times. Written documents about kites date to 478 BC when a Chinese Philosopher named Mo Zi spent creating a wooden Hawk figure that could fly. Traditional Kite The Kite and Its Humble Beginnings With thousands of years of historical context just waiting to become uncovered, who knows what the facts are waiting to be unearthed? The most important thing is that the heritage of kites and kite flying never stopped. From crazy tests for travelers, unique tools to scare off enemies, and superstitious and healing benefits, the history of kite and kite flying in China is truly an incredible journey to the rich and beautiful part of this majestic country. Way before Benjamin Franklin popularized the Kite test to understand the nature of electricity the Chinese have already been using kites beyond pleasurable and serendipitous purposes. Your trip to China will not be complete without the seemingly customary tradition of visiting key cities and destinations to really explore the history, craft, and culture behind the decadent Chinese Kites.
That is why Modern China has taken the kite to a much higher level with its special museum, upholding the heritage of the Chinese for top-notch craftsmanship. The history and legacy of Chinese kites have been and will always be connected to resilience, innovation, and quality. More than just a pretty thing in the sky, Kites have served China in a number of ways and inspired a generation of innovators and engineers to make the impossible, possible. The history of China, spanning thousands of years has always been a witness to the contributions of unknown Chinese artisans for their contributions. Kites and China, a combination contested by others but for most of the civilized world, is a rather obvious connection.
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