Kite-making Skill (Kites of Weifang)

Thriving in the early Ming Dynasty and flourishing in the Emperor Qianlong Period of the Qing Dynasty, Weifang's kite-making skill has a history of more than 600 years. Weifang, Shandong Province is one of the four cradles of kites in China. Kites are made of bamboo skeleton and high-grade silk with hand-painted patterns, a combination of craftsmanship and fine arts. Weifang's kites are mainly hard-wing kites, but with a great variety, e.g. the longest string kites of "centipede", the most ingenious design of soft-wing kites and the peculiar design of 3D kites. The reasonably-structured and brightly-colored kites fly high and stably. In May 2006, Weifang's kite-making skill was included in the first batch of National Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection List.