Kite Flying

The history of flying kites in China dates back to about 3,000 years ago. Legend has it that the master carpenter Lu Ban once cut a piece of bamboo and made it into a magpie shape, which kept flying in the sky for three days and nights. It was not until the Han Dynasty when paper was invented that paper or silk became the major material for kites. Because it gives out sounds similar to those of Zheng as a result of the blowing wind, it is called Feng Zheng (wind zither) in Chinese. Feng refers to wind and Zheng is the name of a Chinese musical instrument. Now kite is a popular leisure activity and there are annual kite festivals held in a few places of China.