Kite and entertainment

With the use of paper and silk, which were invented in the ensuing centuries, kites were produced in increasing numbers, not only for military use, but also for recreational purpose by civilians.

Kite flying became a recreation during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) when the royal family and aristocrats became addicted to it. It was said that Emperor Xuan Zong of the Tang Dynasty once was deeply attracted by a kite named Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, when he saw it flying in the air. During the dynasty, the invention of paper decreased the cost of kites, so they quickly spread among the common people.

As time went on, kites were flown throughout the world, as Dr. Needham said earlier in his book. Chinese kites were first spread to Japan and Korea and then to Malaysia and other countries of Southeast Asia. Then, it was popularized in Europe and America, and so on.

Early in the time of the Five Dynasties (907-960), a man named Li Ye used to make and fly kites in the Imperial Court. He once attached a whistle made of bamboo to each of the kites, the whistles blew whenever the kites flew. So those kites were originally named after Zheng, a kind of Chinese music instrument, before being called the present-day Fengzheng.

The kite became popular among civilians with a richer variety of forms that peaked in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Kites were developed greatly in terms of variety and capability, playing a great role in people's life. Led by the literary, the making and the decoration of kites underwent great development. Also, making kites became a profession due to the large demand.

The Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties were the peak period of the Chinese kite. The kites underwent great development in size, design, decoration, and flying skills. The literary at that time made kites by themselves, which they sent to relatives and friends as gifts, regarding it as a literary pursuit. Kites were at a pretty high level at that time.

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