Workmanship of Chinese Kites
The workmanship of Chinese kites can be summarized in four points: structuring, paperhanging, color drawing, and flying.
- Structuring includes: selecting bamboo, chopping bamboo, bending bamboo, and joining bamboo.
- Paperhanging includes: selecting material, cutting out, paperhanging, and cutting away or adding material as needed.
- Color drawing includes: composing picture, outlining, dyeing (or coloring), and decorating.
- Flying includes: selecting site and weather, choosing the kite, launching the kite into the air, adjusting the line, and controlling the kite.
To make a kite, first, the right kind of bamboo strips must be selected for the frame. It should be thick and strong for a kite of large dimensions in order to stand the wind pressure. The regular paper or sometime silk is used to cover the frame. Silk kites, especially, are more durable and generally of higher artistic value. Third, painting the kite may be done in each way.
China has a large area of territory. As a traditional culture and folk art, kite has formed unique style of different regions during its development, among which the most famous ones are the styles of Beijing, Tianjin, Weifang in Shangdong Province, Sichuan and Guangdong Province .
