Kites have been a traditional folk art in China for thousands of years. With spring on the way, Chinese people are already enjoying kite flying.
In Zhangzhou, located in southeast China's Fujian Province, kites of different shapes and sizes take to the sky. Some are even able to dive vertically. One kite is 30 meters long. Another has 10-meter long wings and covers 45 square meters. But both of these flying giants move gracefully in the air.
Kites in Zhejiang Province have more meaning than size. Most of the kites here are made by the renowned Liu family, whose craftsmanship has spanned over four generations. The most popular kites made by the Lius come in the shape of the Chinese character "fu", which means happiness. These kites also represent New Year's best wishes. During the Spring Festival holiday, the Liu family displayed over 100 kites from the past 90 years.
Some traditional Chinese kites can even sing. Called "banyao", these kites were first flown more than 1,000 years ago in south China. A whistle made of wood or ivory gives them their distinctive voice. The kites are also painted, usually by well-known artists.
(CCTV.com February 2, 2004)
