Kite, also called zhiyuan or yaozi - paper kite in shape of an eagle, swallow, etc. in ancient China, was invented by Chinese. It is said that Lu Ban, a well-known ingenious carpenter, made a bamboo magpie that could fly. During the Five Dynasties Period (907 - 960), a man named Li Ye invented a paper kite in shape of an eagle and flew it in the sky. Later on, people began to fix on kites some strings, which, when high in the air, would vibrate and ring in the breeze like a guzheng - a string instrument. Since then, a popular Chinese name for kite had become fengzheng - wind zheng. It was once used for military purposes as well as for delivering message

The renowned places producing kites in China are Beijing. Tianjin, Weifang of Shandong provinces, Nantong of Jiangsu province and Yangjiang of Guangdong province. To make a kite, one need first make a frame and then cover it with paper or thin tough silk, which can then be painted with pictures. It requires high craftsmanship to make a good kite and particular skills to fly a kite steadily in the sky.

There are various designs of Chinese kites, including birds, beasts, insects and fishes, of which the most popular are swallow, butterfly and eagle. There are also kites made in the shape of characters of mythical stories such as Monkey King. And when the centipede-or-dragon-shaped kite composed of many sections is flown up high, it thrashes and dances about like a huge dragon in the air.

Because flying kites is beneficial to health, it is gaining popularity in many countries. Chinese regard it as a game as well as a sport. Some poeple hang kites on the wall for decoration. Chinese kites are now available for sale in Japan. Southeast Asia and many countries in Europe and America.

In recent years, an international kite festival has been held annually in Weifang of Shandong province since China is the birth-place of kite.