The kite is not a kind of folk toy but a handicraft. It is made from slender slips of bamboo as the frame with thin paper plastered and a long thread to fly with. With the wind it can fly into the sky.

It is said Lu Ban, who lived in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 B.C.) invented the kite. Inspired from the sparrow hawk spiraling in the sky, Lu Ban made one with bamboo and called it “bamboo sparrow.” It was the original kite. Bamboo was replaced by paper later and the kite was named “paper bird”.

According to historical records, emperor Liangwu of the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589 A.D.) used a kite to send a message for help when he was besieged in a city. In the Song Dynasty (960-1279 A.D.), people loaded fire powder on the kite to assault the enemies by tying a piece of kindling incense on the fuse and flying it into the sky above the enemy camp, where it exploded and caused chaos. Then they took the advantage to launch an attack and defeated the enemy. According to these records, the kite was originally made for military use.

From the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.) the kite turned into a kind of toy for entertainment for the rich and after the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127 A.D.) paper kites became popular among the ordinary people.

Source: www.chinaculture.org