The three major kite capitals in my country

There are four major kite capitals in my country, namely Beijing, Tianjin, Nantong and Weifang.

Introduction to the four major kite capitals:

1. Beijing kites:

Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Beijing has been the traditional place of production of kites and is famous for its exquisite production. , making a kite generally requires ten processes. In the early years, kites were one of the characteristics of Liulichang. Traditional kites were the most distinctive, but they have been hard to find in Liulichang.

The representative work of Beijing kites is the Shayan kite (also called Beijing Yan kite). There are two representative figures: one is Jin Fuzhong, a brother and sister who were born in the top ten kites. The exquisite kites in the color film "Kites" co-produced by China and France in the 1950s were made by them. The other company is "Kite Ha", which is famous both at home and abroad.

The thin sand swallows and stringed kites that won the special prize at the "International Kite Show Competition" in San Francisco, USA in 1983 were the descendants of "Kite Ha" at that time. Works by Ha Yiqi. Beijing kites have made new developments, and many famous and novices have emerged. Each has its own merits in kite making. Some are good at making giant kites, such as the 90-meter-long, 120-knot dragon; some are good at making small and exquisite kites. Kites, such as the small palmed swallow, which is only a few centimeters, and so on.

2. Tianjin kites:

In the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, there were countless kite workshops and kite artists in Tianjin, forming a situation where a hundred schools of thought contended. At that time, the craftsmanship of the kites sold on the market in Tianjin was generally rough, and the frames were tied together with paper twists. They could not be disassembled, assembled and folded, making it very inconvenient to store. At this time, literati who liked kites took advantage of the favorable conditions of Tianjin's cultural and economic prosperity and handicraft industry in the late Qing Dynasty to innovate the folk kite-making technology.

Several Tianjin literati, represented by Zhu Zhuxuan, conducted research and improvement on kites. One of the improvements was to use silk thread instead of paper twist, so that the kite would look nice and beautiful. The second improvement is to use feather tubes to connect the frame and connect the body, wings and head of the kite so that it can be disassembled and stored when not flying. The third improvement method is that the heads of the kites are fastened with molds, which makes them look three-dimensional.

Tianjin kites are Tianjin folk art treasures. They are collectively known as the "Tianjin Four Arts" together with the clay figurines Zhang Cai Sculpture and Yang Liuqing's Tianjin carpet paintings. It has a history of more than 100 years and uses high-grade silk, pure paper and fine bamboo as raw materials. The contrast between warm and cold colors is used as the coloring technique, and the workmanship is exquisite. Realistic shape and smooth flight. It has also created more than 200 types of kites, including flat, bow, string and pocket kites.

It won a gold medal at the Panama International Exposition in 1914 and was known as the "Kite Wei". The "Dunhuang" brand kites made by Tianjin Arts and Crafts, which inherited the tradition of Wei Yuantai, won the Silver Cup, the highest kite award in the National Hundred Flowers Award, in 1914. There are many kinds of kites in Tianjin, the largest one is more than 100 meters long, and the smallest one can fit into an envelope. They are all foldable and easy to carry when traveling. They can be flown in the clear sky or placed indoors for viewing.

3. Nantong kites:

Nantong is one of the four major kite producing areas in China. Nantong kites have preserved the ancient characteristics of "strings sounding in the blue sky and are called kites" and are famous for their unique acoustic effects. , and the northern style kites are divided into two schools: northern and southern.

Nantong kites are commonly known as "ban harriers". They are mostly flat hexagonal or hexagonal deformations of "seven consecutive stars" to "nineteen consecutive stars". The general size is more than one meter, and the largest one has four uprights. , five meters high and needs to be transported by truck. The "Pan Harrier" is covered with whistles of different sizes. The extra-large whistle at the lower part is made of gourds, moso bamboo, ginkgo, longan, table tennis balls, etc.

The harrier is also painted with folk paintings such as myths and legends, and two tail ropes tens of meters long are tied to the lower part. An exquisite flat harrier is a precious folk handicraft that can be found in the homes of local people. Collect and pass on from generation to generation. The big harrier needs many people to pull it to fly. After it takes off, the large, medium and small whistles emit low, medium and high notes respectively. The five tones are harmonious and pleasant to the ear. The sound can be heard for miles, and it is like a "symphony in the air". It is said that there are more than 30 models of whistles.

Nantong kites (commonly known as kites) are characterized by board type, sound, colorful paintings, multi-dimensional planes, tall and burly, and can be flown in groups.

4. Weifang Kite

Weifang, also known as Wedu and Kite City, has a long history of making kites and exquisite craftsmanship. The frame is made of bamboo, covered with high-grade silk, and painted by hand. The combination of crafts and fine arts reflects the ornamental value of kites. With the increasing frequency of international kite exchanges, kites, an ancient folk art, have flourished under the new situation and have become an important artwork.

The types include soft-winged ones, hard-winged ones, faucet string type plate type and three-dimensional barrel type. It is not only widely used for flying, competition, and entertainment, but also has become a fashionable decoration that beautifies people's lives. Kites are the symbol of Weifang, and the annual Kite Festival is an event in Weifang that uses kites to promote economic development.

The characteristics of Weifang kites are that they have a strong flavor of local life and vivid charm. The craftsmanship of Weifang kites draws on the strengths of many experts, especially in the shape, structure and painting colors of the kites. The craftsmanship of making woodblock New Year pictures is transplanted. When it comes to kites, the traditional techniques of traditional Chinese painting are applied to the drawing of kites, forming a unique style with beautiful shapes, fine workmanship and bright colors, which has become an important school of Chinese kites.

The materials are carefully selected, the shape is beautiful, the binding is exquisite, the image is vivid, the painting is gorgeous, the variety is various, and the take-off is flexible. Among the Chinese kite family, Weifang kites have a long history and rich and extensive themes.

With its unique selection of materials, exaggerated deformation of design, painter's New Year painting techniques, and clever use of flying mechanical principles, it creates a rich local flavor and unique charm, and is famous at home and abroad at all times.

Extended information:

Introduction to the Kite Capital of the World:

Weifang is praised as the "Kite Capital of the World" by various countries, and the headquarters of the International Kite Federation is located there. At the Weifang Kite Museum. Weifang is also the hometown of kites in China. It has a long history of making kites. It is one of the three major kite factions in China. It is as famous as the kites of Beijing and Tianjin and is well-known at home and abroad. Weifang kites have various themes and have unique artistic characteristics and folk life flavor.

Weifang is the birthplace of kites in the world. Weifang is also known as Wedu and Kite City. It has a long history of making kites and exquisite craftsmanship. Weifang kites are traditional handicraft treasures and folk traditional festival cultural customs in Weifang, Shandong. It is one of the intangible cultural heritages. Now more than 70% of the kites in the world are exported from Weifang. Weifang, known as Weixian in ancient times, has a long history, splendid culture, developed traditional handicraft industry and profound cultural accumulation.

Weishui culture is not only an important part of Qilu culture, but also has its own characteristics. As early as the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was characterized by "two hundred red furnaces, three thousand copper smashers, nine thousand embroidery girls, "One Hundred Thousand Looms" is famous all over the world and is known as "South Suzhou and North Wei County". In May 2006, Weifang kites were included in the first batch of national intangible cultural heritage lists. The conference headquarters of the "International Kite Federation" is also set in Weifang.

Now Weifang has become the center of world kite cultural exchange and is called the hometown of kites by people all over the world. The Weifang International Kite Festival, held every year from April 20 to 25, has delegations from more than 30 countries and regions around the world participating.

Baidu Encyclopedia - China's four major kite producing areas

Baidu Encyclopedia - Weifang Kite