Kites

Welcome to this edition of China Lifestyle Journeys, the series that brings you chats, discussions and insights on all aspects of Chinese living. We will cover festivals, food, traditions, customs and much, much more. I’m your host Jocelyn… and I’m Mat, just an English guy with lots of questions.

So, Mat, what’s your big question today?

(Mat)

Hello and welcome to another episode of China Lifestyle Journeys. Today, we are talking about a fascinating Chinese handicraft1, something that has a long and interesting history, something everyone knows – Chinese kites. So for most people,and Ithink me included, kites are something that kids play with. I didn’t realise that kites had such a“colourful” history, and until we started talking about this today. So I guess the obvious place to start, Jocelyn, is with the question– what do we know about the history of Chinese kites?

(Jocelyn)

OK sure, let’s start with some history. Chinese kites have a rich cultural heritage2 that dates back thousands of years. And they were believed to have originated in China between 475 BCE and 221 BCE, with the earliest kites being made of wood andresembling3 the shapes of birds. Over time, craftsmen began using lighter materials such as silk and bamboo, and later, paper and bamboo, to create these beautiful flying objects.

(Mat)

So I think that’s an important point for everyone. The idea of kites was actually invented by the Chinese, a few thousand years ago. How do we know this? Do we have any solid evidence?

(Jocelyn)

Well, most historians agree that the origins of kites can be traced back to4 ancient China. We have quite a lot historical records and accounts that provide strong indications that the ancient Chinese invented kites.

(Mat)

So if the kites were invented by the ancient Chinese all those years ago, what were they doing with these kites? Were they just going to the park like people today, flying their kites in the park as a way to relax?

(Jocelyn)

That’s a very good question actually. In ancient China, kites had important practical uses. Actually, they didn’t start out as something fun in the park – this came much later. Kites were originally developed for military purposes, particularly during the Warring States Period5 (475 – 221 BCE). There are some historical accounts that tell us about two Chinese philosophers Mozi and Lu Ban. They both played a role in inventing kites formilitary intelligence6, measuring distances, and calculating wind readings7. Actually, kites provided valuable information for strategic movements and communication, similar to ship flags at sea. So think about it, if you had a huge army on a field, and you wanted to give orders, like this group move over there, and that group move forward and so on, they didn’t have mobile phones or radio communication, but they did have kites. So early kites were a form of signal communication, different shapes, different colours and different designs had specific meanings (related to military movements).

(Mat)

Wow, I had never thought about kites in that way. So actually kites are more important than we think. They were an early form of communication, that’s pretty cool actually. So when did people start designing and creating the types of kites that we see today, in the shape of birds, dragons and fish, and things like this?  And do these animal designs have any special meaning?

(Jocelyn)

Well, the designs we see in modern kites, such as birds, dragons, and fish, have evolved over time. The art of designing and creating elaborate and beautiful kites really began sometime during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1636-1912) dynasties8. And during this period, kites changed quite a lot in terms of9 size, design, decoration, and even flying skills. The shapes of animals in kites often carry symbolic meanings deeplyrooted10 in Chinese culture. Birds may represent freedom and grace, while dragons symbolise power and prosperity. And fish can symbolise abundance and good fortune.  

(Mat)

You just mentioned “flying skills”. Is there really a skill to fly a kite? I thought you just throw the kite into the wind, the kite goes up in the wind and you hold the string to stop it flying away. Am I missing something? Is there more to kite-flying than I know?

(Jocelyn)

Absolutely, Mat. There are certain skills needed to fly a kite effectively. It requires a combination of factors, such as selecting the right site and weather conditions, choosing the appropriate kite for those conditions, launching11 the kite into the air with precision, adjusting the line to control the kite's flight, and maintaining control throughout the flying experience. Experienced kite flyers understand how wind patterns and movements affect the kite's behaviour and make adjustments accordingly. They also use special techniques, such as pulling and releasing the line, at exactly the right moment to perform tricks.  

(Mat)

That's fascinating! I never realised there was so much skill involved in flying a kite. Now I can see that it is much more than just throwing it into the wind and holding onto the string. Now, one final question, the materials used to make Chinese kites, I think you mentioned these earlier, something about paper and bamboo. Tell me something more about that.

(Jocelyn)

Yes. Traditional Chinese kites are typically made using paper and bamboo. Bamboo is chosen for its light weight yet strong properties, making it an ideal material for the kite’s frame. And it gives stability and flexibility to withstand the wind while keeping its strength. And paper used for traditional Chinese kites is often handmade and specially selected. It can be made from various plant fibres. Using handmade paper reflects the delicatecraftsmanship12 and attention to detail that is often a characteristic of Chinese traditional handicrafts.

 Well, that’s it for today. We hope you enjoyed this episode, thanks for listening. We hope to see you again next time. Until then, goodbye.Stay wise.

Key words and expressions：

1. handicraft CET6 / IELTS / TOEFL  n. [C] /ˈhændɪkrɑːft/ 手工艺；手工艺品

a skilled activity in which something is made in a traditional way with the hands 

e.g.  traditional handicrafts 传统手工艺品

2. heritage CET 4 / IELTS / TOEFL  n. [U] /ˈherɪtɪdʒ/ 遗产

something handed down from one’s ancestors or the past, as a characteristic, a culture, tradition, etc.

e.g. intangible cultural heritage 非物质文化遗产

3. resembleC1 / IELTS / TOEFL  v. /rɪˈzembəl/ 像；看起来像；与…相似

to look like or be like someone or something

e.g. The new building closely resembles the ancient architecture found in traditional Chinese temples. 这座新建筑与传统中国寺庙中的古代建筑密切相似。

4. trace back to考研 vp. 查明…的起因（或源头），追溯

first happened in

e.g. This practice can betraced back to festivals in ancient China.这个习俗可追溯至中国古代的节庆活动。

5. Warring States Period (475 – 221 BCE)

战国时期

The Warring States period is distinguished from the preceding age, the Spring and Autumn (Chunqiu) period (770–476 BCE), when the country was divided into many even smaller states.

6. military intelligence

军事情报

Military intelligence includes information on other countries’ military forces, plans, and operations gained through a variety of collection methods. 

7. wind readings

风力读数

Wind readings refer to the measurement of various parameters (限定因素) related to the speed and direction of the wind.

8. dynastyCET 4   n. [C]  /ˈdɪnəsti/ 朝代

a series of rulers or leaders who are all from the same family, or a period when a country is ruled by them

e.g. Southern Song dynasty 南宋

The Xia Dynasty was the first government to emerge in ancient China. 夏朝是中国古代出现的第一个政权。

9.  in terms of考研  pp. 在…方面；从…方面来说

used to describe which particular area of a subject you are discussing

e.g. In terms of Chinese culture, traditional painting are deeply cherished and celebrated for their artistic beauty. 就中国文化而言，传统绘画因其艺术美和历史意义而深受珍视和赞扬。

10.  root CET 4  v. /ruːt/（使）生根

to grow roots

e.g. The trees failed to root and so died. 这些树没能生根，所以都死了。

拓展：deeply rooted in something 表示“对某事物深深扎根”，如：deeply rooted in Western culture

11.  launch C1 / IELTS / TOEFLv. /lɔːntʃ/ 推出，发起

to send something out

e.g. China launched Dongfanghong I, becoming the fifth country to send a satellite into orbit. 中国发射了东方红一号，成为第五个将卫星送入轨道的国家。

12.  craftsmanship CET 4n. [U]  /ˈkrɑːftsmənʃɪp/ 工艺；手艺；技艺

skill at making things

e.g. carry forward craftsmanship with the pursuit of excellence 弘扬精益求精的工匠精神