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22
The Kite (Fengzheng)
The kite, a Chinese invention, has been praised as the forerunner
of the modern airplane. In the pavilion of aircraft of the National
Aeronautics and Space Museum, Washington D.C., a plaque says, “the
earliest aircraft are the kites and missiles of China”.
The kite is mainly, but not only, a plaything. It has contributed
to science and production. The first planes were shaped after the kite.
In 1782, Benjamin Franklin, noted American scientist and statesman,
studied lightning and thunder in the sky with the help of a kite and
then invented the lightning rod. Kites are still used by some
fishermen to lay bait in the sea to attract fish, or by photographers to
take pictures of bird’s eye view from high altitude.
The earliest Chinese kites were made of wood and called muyuan
(wooden kites); they date as far back as the Warring States Period
(475-221 B.C.) at least two millennia ago. After the invention of
paper, kites began to be made of this new material called zhiyuan
(paper kites).
Instead of being playthings, early kites were used for military
purposes. Historical records say they were large in size; some were
powerful enough to carry men up in the air to observe enemy
movements, and others were used to scatter propaganda leaflets over
hostile forces. According to the Records of Strange Events (Du Yi
Zhi), an ancient work, when Xiao Yan, Emperor Wudi (464-549) of the
Liang Dynasty, was surrounded at Taicheng, Nanjing by the rebel
troops under Hou Jing, it was by means of a kite that he sent out an
S.O.S. message for outside help.
During the Tang Dynasty (618-907), people began to fix on kites
some bamboo strips which, when high in the air, would vibrate and
ring in the breeze like a zheng (a stringed instrument). Since then, the
popular Chinese name for the kite has become fengzheng (wind zheng).
The kites made today in certain localities are fixed with silk strings or
rubber bands to give out pleasant ringing in the wind.
It was also believed, for instance, during the Qing Dynasty
(1644-1911) that flying a kite, apart from the pleasure in itself, might
send off one’s bad luck and illness. Consequently it would bring bad
luck if one should pick up a kite lost by other people. This may be
dismissed as superstition but may not be altogether without reason;
think of good it will do a person, ill and depressed all the time, if he
or she could go out into the fields and fresh air to fly a kite.
The Kite (Fengzhe ng)
The k ite, a C hinese inve nt io n, has been p ra ised as t he forerunne r
o f t he mo dern a irp la ne. In t he pavilio n o f a ircra ft o f t he Nat io na l
Aero na ut ics a nd Space Muse u m, W ashingt o n D.C., a plaq ue sa ys, “ the
earliest a irc ra ft are t he k ites and mi ssiles o f China”.
The k ite is ma inly, b ut not o nly, a pla yt hing. It has co nt rib ute d
to scie nce a nd pro d uct io n. The firs t pla nes were s haped a fte r t he k ite.
In 1782, Be nja min Fra nk lin, no ted Ame rica n scie nt ist a nd states ma n,
stud ied light ning a nd t hunder in t he sk y w it h t he he lp o f a k ite and
the n inve nted t he light ning rod. Kites are st ill used b y so me
fis he rme n to la y ba it in t he sea to attract fis h, or b y p hoto grap he rs to
take pict ures of b ird’s eye vie w fro m high a lt it ude.
The earliest C hinese kites were ma de of woo d and calle d muyua n
(woode n k ites); t he y date as fa r back as t he Warring States Period
(475-2 21 B.C.) at least tw o mille nnia a go. After t he inve nt io n o f
paper, k ites be ga n to be made o f t his new mate ria l ca lled zh iyuan
(paper k ites).
Instead o f be ing p la yt hings, early kites were used fo r milit ar y
purposes. Hist orica l records sa y t h ey we re large in s ize; so me were
powerful e no ugh to carry me n up in t he a ir to observe e ne my
mo ve me nts, a nd o t hers were used t o scatter propa ga nda lea flets o ve r
host ile fo rces. Accord ing to t he Records of Stra nge Events (Du Yi
Zhi), a n a nc ie nt wo rk, w he n X iao Y an, E mpero r W ud i (464 -549) o f t he
Lia ng D ynast y, was surro unded at Ta ic he ng, Na nj ing b y t he rebe l
troops under Ho u J ing, it was b y mea ns o f a k ite t hat he se nt o ut a n
S.O.S. message for o utside he lp.
During t he Ta ng D ynast y (618-907), people be ga n t o fix o n k ite s
so me ba mb oo strips w hic h, w he n high in t he a ir, wo uld vibra te and
ring in t he b reeze like a zheng (a st ringed inst rume nt). Since t he n, t he
pop ular C hinese na me for t he k ite has beco me fengzheng (w ind zheng).
The k ites ma de toda y in certa in loc alit ies are fixed w it h s ilk strings o r
rubber ba nds to give o ut p leasant ringing in t he w ind.
It was a lso be lie ved, fo r insta nc e, during t he Q ing D ynast y
(1644-1911 ) tha t flying a k ite, apart fro m t he p leas ure in itse lf, migh t
send o ff o ne’s bad luck a nd illness. Conseque nt ly it wo uld bring ba d
luck if o ne s ho uld p ick up a k ite lost by ot her peop le. This ma y be
dis missed as s upe rst it io n b ut ma y not be a lto get he r w it ho ut reaso n;
think o f good it w ill do a perso n, ill a nd depressed all t he t i me, if he
or she co uld go o ut into t he fie lds and fresh a ir to fly a kite.
22
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