Kites of Asia

The kite undisputedly originated in China over 2,000 years ago. During the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history (around 2,000 B.C.E.), a skilled carpenter named Lu Ban observed the sparrowhawks flying high in the sky. The sparrowhawks inspired him to create a "bamboo magpie" which was said to have stayed in the air for three days! Also during this period, a prominent philosopher and scientist named Mo Zi is said to have created the first kite over a period of three years.

After the invention of paper, people began to make kites made from paper and on occasion, silk.

Kites were used in ancient China for various scientific, entertainment, and even medical-related purposes. In one of the most famous stories of the kite in ancient China, two were used (along with 47 gunpowder rockets attached to a chair) by a man named Wan Hu during the Ming dynasty as part of an effort to reach the moon! Obviously Wan Hu's efforts to reach the moon were unsuccessful, but he had an interesting idea about using kites to float there!

Kites were also used for military-related purposes by ancient China's warring states. The most famous example is during the war between the Chu and Han armies 2,000 years ago. The Han general Han Xin ordered some of his troops to ride on a giant kite made of bamboo and silk over the Chu camps and sing Chu songs to make them homesick. His strategy obviously worked as the Chu soldiers deserted en masse and the army was defeated!

During the Tang Dynasty (7th-12th centuries A.D.), kite flying became quite fashionable.

Today kite flying is still very popular in China and many kites are flown at various kite festivals and kite-flying competitions all over the country. There are also international kite-flying competitions held in China as well. Many "laowai" (meaning "foreigners" in Mandarin Chinese) have bult some excellent Chinese kites!

In the land where the kite was born, it is still flying strong and will be for a very long time to come!

Weifang is a city in China's Shandong Province that is officially considered to be the "kite capital of the world." Kites and kite-flying have been a tradition here for over 1,000 years and kite production has been one of two of the city's most famous industries since the Ming (1368-1644 AD) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties. The world's largest international kite festival has been held here every year since 1984 and many tourists come year round to buy kites. In 1988, the World Kite Federation declared Weifang the "kite capital of the world."

Kites from Weifang are often made to resemble animals, insects, and characters from Chinese mythology and folklore. The Chinese dragon kite is the most famous, but the centipede, beetle, butterfly, and eagle kites are also well-known around the world. Many of these animals have a specific meaning or attribute in Chinese traditional beliefs and folklore.

There is also a kite museum in Weifang that has a roof shaped like the famous centipede kite! This museum houses kites that are up to 2300 years old and are very spectacular to look at. If you ever get the chance to visit Weifang, be sure to visit the kite museum while you're there!

Japanese kites are thought to have been introduced to the country sometime during the Nara period (649-794 AD) by Chinese Buddhist missionaries and were mainly used in religious and thanksgiving ceremonies. However, it wasn't until the Edo period (1603-1857) that Japan's kite development really took off. This is when each region of Japan developed up to 130 different types and styles of kites!

Japanese kites are well-known for their beautiful artwork, which are typically characters from Japanese mythology, folklore, and religion. They are made of hand-made paper, natural dyes, and bamboo or cypress wood. They are mainly flown during special ceremonies and holidays such as the New Year, Harvest Festival, and Children's Day (May 5th, also known as Boy's Day). On Children's Day, the carp-shaped streamers called "Koinobori" (also known as "satsuki-nobori") are flown in honor of the nation's sons in the hopes they will stay healthy, strrong boys.

Japan, like many other countries in Asia, has its own kite-fighting tradition. The traditional Japanese fighter kites are the Nagasaki Hata, which is very similar to the Indian patang (and supposedly imported to Japan by Indonesian traders many centuries ago) and the Rokkaku. These are flown by teams at the Hamamatsu and Shirone festivals.

These days kites are not nearly as popular as they used to be in Japan due to urbanization and a general lack of knowledge among the younger generations of this ancient craft. However, kites still fly at Japan's various ceremonies and at kite competitions across the country!

Kites have had an important place in Korean culture for many centuries now. In fact, the earliest known examples of Korean kites date back to 637 A.D! The Korean kite, which is called a yeon, is very popular among Korean children today and there are still a few kitemasters left in the country.

The first known kite in Korea was flown in the year 637 A.D. when Queen Chindok of the Silla Kingdom first came to power. During this time there was a panic among the populace of the town of Gyeongju. Her general Kim Yu-Sin flew a kite containing a burning cotton ball over the town in an attempt to lead the populace it was a shooting star and their troubles would soon be over. His strategy apparently worked.

The most popular type of yeon is the "bangpae yeon" fighter kite, which is rectangular and has a hole in the center. The frame consists of five bamboo sticks and is covered with mulberry paper.

All in all there are 100 different types of yeon. In addition to the bangpae-yeon, there is also the long-tailed kaori-yeon, the multi-colored kkokji-yeon, the chima (woman's skirt) yeon, the half-moon shaped bandal-yeon, and many others!

As was the case in China, Korean kites were also used for military purposes. During the 16th century war against the Japanese, Admiral Yi-Sun Sin (who was the brainchild behind the legendary "Geobuksun" turtle ships which were crucial to a Korean/Joseon dynasty naval victory against the Japanese fleet in the same war) used kites to signal battle tactics to his troops.

In Malaysia, kites are commonly called Waus because of the similarities of the shape of a traditional Malaysian kite and an Arabic letter called a "wow." The most popular type of wau is the wau bulan, or the Moon Kite. Other types of wau include the wau merak (peacock kite) and the wau kuching (cat kite, which is also featured on the sides of Malaysian Airlines jet airliners). These kites are very beautiful and are an art form as well as a sport and hobby! They are also flown by farmers on level ground after the yearly harvest.

Kites are particularly popular in Kelantan province, which is near the Thai border. Many of the huge waus are made in this province and kite-making has, along with many other traditional arts and crafts, been a way of life for centuries for a number of people.

From ShopMalaysia.com comes this selection of gorgeous handicrafted wau bulan kites straight from Malaysia itself!

Wau Kite - For U Handicrafts - 26cm x 40cm

Wau Kite - For U Handicrafts - 32cm x 54cm

Wau Kite - For U Handicrafts - 47cm x 47cm

Wau Kite With Box - For U Handicrafts - 77cm x 81cm

Kites in Thailand have a long history dating back some 800 years, which is almost as long as the history of the nation itself! During the reign of King Rama V (1868-1910 A.D.), kite flying was proclaimed a national sport. Kite flying really took off under King Rama VI (1910-1925 A.D.) and has continued to grow up to this very day.

The typical kites are flat and shaped like stars and diamonds. Star-shaped kites are called "chula." and diamond-shaped kites are called "pakpao." These are also the fighter kites found in Thailand. In addition, there are also 3-D kites, snake-shaped kites, and a very fascinating kite called a "Song Hong" kite flown every first full moon in December for a good harvest and good luck! There are also kite festivals and competitions held regularly across the Kingdom.

Kite-flying is also a very popular pastime in Afghanistan. Known in Afghanistan as "Gudiparan bazi," kite-flying and kite-fighting have been popular among children for many generations.

The Afghan kite is typically diamond-shaped and is beautifully colored with some very elaborate patterns. Kite contests held in Afghanistan vary and can be held over who has the largest kite, or who is the best kite fighter in a town, neighborhood, etc. These contests have never lost their appeal over the years!

Kite flying in Afghanistan was brought to the Western eye in 2003 courtesy of Khaled Hosseini's best-selling novel "The Kite-Runner," which was also made into a movie. This novel deals with a group of boys who spend their days flying kites, daydreaming, and doing everything boys do during the volatile period of the 1970s. We return with the main character to Afghanistan in the late 1990s/early 2000s during the period of Taliban rule as he tries to find the son of his best friend from his childhood days, a Hazara (an Afghan ethnic group largely centered in Bamiyan province) boy named Hassan who along with his wife were murdered by the Taliban. All in all an excellent book worth reading, especially if you're interested in the history of Afghanistan or its people.

Kites have had a very long history in Cambodia (and disputably one that may even predate Chinese kites!) and in recent decades, a tragic one. The earliest known evidence of Khmer kites can be found on a stone inscription dating back to 972 A.D. However, it's possible kites in Cambodia may date as far back as 100 B.C.E!

To the Khmer people, kites have been used for ceremonial purposes such as the Royal Kite Flying Ceremony, and for spiritual purposes such as the Royal Plowing Ceremony, the Water Festival, and for honoring various Hindu and Khmer animistic deities.

During the 1970s, kites were almost completely eliminated from Cambodian society by the Khmer Rouge, who attempted to erase all traditional Khmer culture during their reign of terror. In recent years however, kites have made a comeback in Cambodia and the kite is flying once again at the kite-flying festivals and ceremonies all across the nation.

Kites have also had a very long history in India. The most common type of kite you'll find in India is the fighter kite, which is diamond-shaped and called the "padang" or "gudi." These kites have very elaborate designs and are often flown over rooftops during festivals such as Makar Sankranti.

According to legend, kites came to India from China via two Chinese travellers named F Hien and Huin Tsang many years ago. Since then, however, Indian kites have taken on a life of their own and taken their place in the vast culture of India!

In addition to the padang/gudi, some other types of kites that can be found in India are the round-shaped Tukkal (which is far more popular in Pakistan, but enjoys some popularity in India) and the Chagg, which is very large and similar to the Afghan kite.

As mentioned above, kites are flown during various Indian festivals and in particular the Makar Shakranti festival held on Jan. 14th of every year. During this festival, you're sure to see kites flying everywhere!

Asian kites are graceful, beautiful, amazing, and many other things. But most importantly of all, they are a part of the culture of their respective countries that has withstood the onslaught of our modern day world and continue to be a favorite toy for all. Generations of children continue to play with kites and pass their own love of kites down to their own children.

In addition, kites are almost certainly used in many scientific experiments just as they were in the days of ancient China. Meteorologists and others continue to find use for kites and most likely will in the future.

May the the spirit of the first kite that flew in China continue to fly own 2,500 years later!

(Image of Chinese kite used as this lens's display pic copyright: Tholly. Image of Japanese koinobori: darwin cruz. Image of the kite museum in Weifang: Rolfmueller. Used courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.)