"The kite flies higher because of the wind,
The chief highly honours because of the
innovative citizens,
The fortunes are saved by a good wife,
The prosperous house is because of a faithful wife."

Prince Preah Reach Samphear.
17th century, India.

Some two thousand years ago a Chinese farmer tied his hat to a string in order to prevent it from blowing away by strong wind...probably the first 'kite' ever flown...' It is currently believed that kites may have been independently invented in both China and Malaysia, and that this new invention then spread through the rest of Asia from these two countries. There certainly is documentary evidence to suggest that kites were being flown in China as long ago as 200 BC. and it is recorded that General Huen Tsang in the Han Dynasty having used a kite as an instrument of war, by using it as a method of determining the correct distance to dig a tunnel to enter a palace and end a siege.  One report tells us of the general's kite as being in the shape of a pig and opposing troops not firing lighted arrows on the beast as they were so astounded to see a pig actually flying. Other Chinese legends relate how kites were used to lift fireworks in order to terrify an opposing army, and how they were used to lift observers before a battle.

Other uses for kites in Asia and the Pacific islands included suspending fishing lines from kites, scaring bird from crops, a way of lifting construction materials to the tops of buildings, and as a toy. In AD 930, the Japanese started referring to kites as ‘shiroshi’ meaning ‘paper bird’ for the first time.  Between AD 960 and AD 1126, kite flying became a popular sport in China. The Chinese believed that if kites were flown on the ninth day of the ninth month it could ward off evil. In some Asian countries the kite had considerable religious significance. In Korea, newly born children had kites flown and released for them, taking away any bad luck they had been born with. Kites were flown by farmers in Thailand at the time of the monsoon, to ask the gods to make the monsoon winds blow long enough to prevent all the rain falling on their crops and flooding them.

Japanese legends describe how a thief attempted to steal golden scales from a statue of a dolphin on the roof of Nagoya Castle, by using a kite to lift him over the walls and onto the roof without alerting the guards. His scheme failed, and he and his family were put to death by being boiled in oil. Japan became an important focal point for kites because of its geographical location. They were brought to Japan from China by Buddhist missionaries in the seventh century. From here kites spread throughout the Pacific region, carried by Japanese traders and explorers.

Kites had played a big role in the Korean revolt in the regime of Silla Dynasty around one thousand and eight hundred years ago. The General of the Army Gim Yu-sin was ordered to attack and diminish the rebels. The troops saw a large shooting star falling from the sky and believed that, if they march to attack rebels the time they were asked to, they will surely lose the battle and consequently refused to attack. General of the Army Gim, empolyed a kite which had a fire ball in it to fly over the troops. The troops believed that if they saw the star returning to the heavens they would be victorious. The troops marched and even defeated the rebels.

Kites were introduced to Europe by explorers returning from Asia. Marco Polo, the Italian explorer who returned from China in 1295, wrote remarkably accurate accounts of the construction of kites, as well as how they were flown. The first known reference to kite flying in Europe appears in a manuscript about military technology, written in 1405. Another text, written in 1430, describes how to make a kite from parchment, and explains how to connect the flying line to different points on the kite in order for the kite to fly well in a variety of wind conditions. Two other books, written in 1589 and 1634 both recommend using kites to lift fireworks at night. An illustration of the town of Middleburg, Holland, made in 1618, shows children flying kites of the lozenge shape so common today.

In eighteenth century Europe the kite showed its usefulness as a scientific instrument. In 1749 a Scottish meteorologist named Alexander Wilson used kites to lift thermometers to a height of 3000 feet to measure temperature variations at altitude. Three years later, Benjamin Franklin used a kite to demonstrate that lightning was similar to the static electricity that scientists were experimenting with at the time.

Sir George Cayley experimented with kites between 1799 and 1809 in the quest to develop a heavier-than-air flying machine capable of carrying a passenger. He was the first person to describe scientifically the problems that would have to be overcome before man would fly in such a machine.  By 1826, George Pocock had patented a four stringed kite used for pulling carriages. The four strings allowed the kite to be controlled so that the carriage it pulled behaved much like a sailboat, and could even tack into the wind. The carriage apparently was capable of reaching speeds of 30 km/h.

In 1833, a British meteorologist, E. D. Archibald, started using kites to lift anemometers to measure wind speed at various altitudes. Meteorological observatories around the world used kites to lift instruments thousands of feet into the air. This gave a great deal of information about the atmosphere and vastly improved the weather forecasting of the time. Kites were to continue in this role until the mid 1930s, when aircraft and radiosonde balloons finally replaced them. In 1887, Archibold was the first person to take an aerial photograph from a kite, an application that is still practised today. Kites have been used as an inexpensive alternative method of obtaining aerial photographs of archaeological sites, reefs and the remains of shipwrecks.

By the late nineteenth century kites were being seen as serious scientific instruments. Kites were seen as a good starting point in the development of powered, heavier-than-air flying machines. Potential aeroplane builders were tackling the problems of powered flight in a more disciplined manner, making small steps forward, and discovering their new craft as they went along using kites in their experimentation.

Lawrence Hargrave experimented near Sydney, Australia in the 1890s with a number of kite designs. He finally settled upon what he called a cellular, or box, kite. He was looking for a stable lifting surface, to which he could add an engine. His experiments led to the development of the 'cambered aerofoil,' a feature that generated much more lift than a flat surface.  Some of Hargrave's "gliding kites" were so efficient that they flew at angles of up to 110 degrees, an outstanding feat! Most kites fly at angle of less than 50 degrees above the horizon. Efficient kites normally fly at angles of up to 70 degrees.
In the course of his research Hargrave presented 23 papers and exhibitions to the Royal Society of New South Wales on aviation related topics. Hargrave was more interested in solving the problem of powered flight than in being the person to do it. He did not patent any of his inventions, preferring he said, 'their benefits to be available to all researchers into the development of the aeroplane.' In Australia, his achievements are acknowledged by a statue at Stanwell Park, New South Wales, where he carried out his experiments. His likeness and some of his gliders may be seen on one side of the Australian twenty dollar note and the engineering and science library at Monash University Melbourne is named after him.

The Wright brothers eventually overcame their weight problems and flew an aeroplane of their own design in 1903. This was the climax of several years of experimentation using kites and gliders. The wing warping system they used to control their aeroplane had been developed by flying their smaller versions as kites, and twisting the wings with four lines from the ground. Because of their extensive flying of their designs as kites, and their use of wind tunnels to test ideas about wings and propellers, they were able to collect a great deal of information about the stability of their designs, as well as the amount of lift the glider developed for a given wind. This gave them invaluable information about the necessary size and curvature for the wings of their 1903 "flyer."

Alexander Graham Bell was also trying to invent the first powered aeroplane. He knew of the work being undertaken by Hargrave, and he also experimented with kites to determine the most suitable lifting surface. He finally settled on a cellular kite made of regular tetrahedrons, that is a "pyramid" with four triangular sides.

 

Kites were used as observation devices during both the first and second world wars. They were used as a means of increasing the range of visibility by German submarines during both of these wars. At water level an observer might be able to see 8 kilometres, but by using a kite to lift that observer to a height of 400 feet, visibility could be increased to 40 kilometres. Kites were supplied as standard equipment in life rafts on British and Australian aircraft. If the raft had to be used, the kite could be used to lift the antennae of an emergency radio transmitter. The kite was also used as an airborne sail; although the speed of the raft through the water was quite low, it did help to stabilize the boat in rough seas. Kites with two control lines were developed by a U. S. Navy Commander during the second world war as a means of training naval anti-aircraft gunners. Paul Garber's kite was highly manoeuvrable, and was used in target practice. The kite was said to be quite hard to hit as it moved around the sky at the command of its "pilot" who was safely on the ground. Paul Garber had seen the Wright brothers demonstrate their aircraft to the US. Army in 1909, and later became the curator of the Smithsonian Institute, which holds the largest collection of aviation related artefacts in the world, including many fine examples of kites.

Kites again attracted attention in the 1950s and 1960s when Francis Rogallo developed a completely flexible kite, with no rigid supporting spars. Instead of spars, this kite uses the wind itself to hold it open and maintain its shape. Rogallo was an aeronautical engineer working for NASA. He was searching for a controllable recovery system for spacecraft. This kite was the first to be developed with the assistance of wind tunnel testing, and is an indication of how far kites have come since they were simply a child's toy. The "Rogallo wing", rather than being used just as a kite, has been put to numerous uses by the American military, and is the basis for hang gliders and through them, for many of the ultra light aircraft designs being flown today.

In Indian literature, kites were mentioned for the first time in the work Madhumati by Manzan and were described by the use of the word 'Patang.' The Indian Fighter Kite (made in both India and Pakistan), is still called a 'Patang' or 'Guda.' It is the most beloved of all the fighter kites available.
India has a very ancient kite tradition. Most people believe that kites were first brought into India by two Chinese travellers named Fa Hien and Hiuen Tsang but from there the kites have taken their own evolutionary route in India and today Indian kites are almost exclusively fighter kites. They are made of tissue paper and bamboo and almost all Indian kites have a very similar shape –a diamond shaped piece of tissue with a central spine and asingle bow. The differences lie in the many patterns and colours used to make the paper sail. But the Indian kite is a superb flying machine, capable of responding to the flyers’lightest touch, extremely maneuverable and perfectly suited to its function. A 'Tukkal' is a popular shape and has much in common with the Malaysian 'wau' than the patang and is almost never seen in Indian skies except at kite festivals. In Pakistan, though, it is still a popular design. Twin double-bows make this a very heavy kite and not many people possess the skill to fly it.

In India, where these fighter kites were invented, they are flown daily from rooftops and during the "kite" season at large festivals. The line used is called 'manjha,' a glass coated line.  Typical battles can last for hours with each flier attempting to cut every other kite out of the sky. The last kite flying is the winner.  'Patang bazi' is the term used by children in India for their kite flying games. 'Pecha' is the Indian word used for a kite fight.

How does an Indian kite fly? Despite its simplicity, the Indian fighter kite is a sophisticated flying machine. One of the most maneuverable kites in the world, the Indian fighter kite is considered a masterpiece of design the world over.
There are many stories related to kite flying in ancient India. The rulers, the nawabs of Lucknow used to fly their kites from their palace rooftops with a small purse of gold or silver attached – an incentive for the others to try cutting down the kite to retrieve the precious prize. Sawai Ram Singh, king of Jaipur, was also very fond of kites and commissioned a patang khanaor kite factory in the 16th century to make kites for him.  Unfortunately the fragile nature of Indian kites has prevented the survival of any of these old specimens. We can only get a glimpse of them in the paintings of that time. There are references in ancient poetry to lovers sending notes to their beloved through kites and some paintings from the Mughal era reflect this dalliance.  The Mehrangarh fort in Jodhpur has exquisite wall paintings depicting kites being flown during a local celebration.  What is unique that kites were popular, not only with the local populace, but also with the rich and the nobility and people in poor health were sometimes advised by their physicians to take up kite flying as a means to regaining their vitality.

Makar Sankranti is the great traditional Indian kite festival. It falls on the 14th of January – the only traditional Indian festival that falls on the same date every year. All other Indian festivals follow the lunar calendar, Makar Sankranti is the only one with a solar association – it marks the transition of the sun into the Northern Hemisphere and is celebrated as a festival of life and fertility.  On Sankranti, in cities like Jaipur and Ahmedabad the whole sky is filled with kites – a million or more kites at the same time.

 The 'rokkaku,' a traditional six sided Japanese kite, is also a fighter kite and many rokkakus are flown in contest where the object is to knock the opponents’ kites down by either cutting the line or forcing it down. The rokkaku is a stable kite, comparatively easy to fly, and has become extremely popular with kite flyers all over the world. The 'chula' (male) and 'pakpao' (female) kites of Thailand also fight a battle in which the larger Chula is sought to be ensnared and brought down by a number of smaller pakpao.  The Japanese Nagasaki 'hata' kite is also very similar in construction and size to an Indian fighter kite. Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia also have a strong fighter kite tradition where Indian-style kites are flown in kite cutting contests. Afghanistan is another country where kite flying was an extremely popular sport, until the Taliban banned it. It has only recently been re-introduced.  Afghani kites are similar to Indian kites in construction, but are generally much larger than the Indian version and the kite fights take place at great distance – sometimes beyond the visual range – conducted only through the sense of touch; the tension on the flying line tells the flyer if he’s made contact with his opponent’s line. An inclusion in the fighter kite community is Chile is South America. Indian style fighters are flown in Chile, too - on manjha – and the aim of the game is the same, to cut down ones opponent’s kite.

 "Kites connect people...  The kite is a fragile creation yet it occupies a special place in our hearts and minds, for the kite is one of the most powerful symbols of man’s desire to break free from the shackles of this Earth. Flying high above, the kite invites you to look up into the limitless sky, to let the worries of daily existence drop away, to let your soul soar up into the blue.  In the sky there are no boundaries and it’s a little easier to believe that the differences of caste, colour, religion or nationality are artificial divisions that have no real basis in the scheme of creation."

Today there are thousands of variations, colourful, practical, playful and scientific kites. They can give us the thrill of speed across sand, water and sky with extreem sports kites or they can give us the simple pleasure of running with a kite along a sun kissed beach, out into a field and with our child like dreams of flying.

Sources:

"KiteLines" magazine- Winter 1999-2000, Vol. 13, No. 2.

"Kites and Kite Flying" Ambrose Lloyd & Nicolette Thomas 1987 Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited, ISBN 0-600-35337-0.

"China Kites" Liu Zhen, ISBN 1-55521-376-6.

"Aramco World" September/October 1999 "The Singing Kites of Kelantan." (Malaysia).

"The Genius of China, 3,000 Years of science, Discovery and Invention," by Robert Temple, Simon and Schuster, 1986 LC 86-15620.

"De nobilitatibus, sapientiis, et prudentiis regum," Walter de Milemete. (Dates from 1326).

"Rust und Feuerwerksbuch" ca. 1490, Stadt un Universitatsbibliothek Frankfurt am Main.

"The Mysteryes of Nature and Art" by J. Bates. London, 1634, pp. 80-82.

"AAKS" - the Austral-Asian Kite Society - Marsfield, Australia. 'Flying High' Volume 4, 2004.

"Pryrotechnia" by J. Babington, London, 1635, pp. 44-46.

"Deliciae physico-mathematicae" by D. Schwenter, Numberg, 1636, Pt 12, pp. 472-475.

Kite Museums:

China...
Weifang Kite Museum Weifang/Shandong Province
Situated in the city of Weifang, Shandong Province and built in 1987, Weifang Kite Museum is China's first professional museum displaying various kinds of kites. A superb collection of beautiful Chinese and foreign kites is on display, the oldest type being the "Luban kite" of the 5th century BCE.
www.chinakites.org

England...
The Museum of Kites
Middleton-in-Teesdale
A vast collection of kites from all over the world.

India...
The Kite Museum  Ahmedabad, Gujarat Province
Bhanu Shah's curated collection of kites from around the world focuses on the fighter kites of India.
http://www.gujarattourism.com /destination/ahmedabad/museums .html

Japan...
The Tokyo Kite Museum
This comprehensive collection of Japanese traditional kites, representative of all the regions of the country, includes more than 3,000 kites. Historical photos of the Ikazaki Kite Festival.
www.tako.gr.jp

Malaysia...
The Malaysian Kite Museum ( Pasir Gudang Kite Museum)  Pasir Gudang - outside of Johor
This museum displays five hundred kites in a relatively small, three-level display space. More than three hundred waus from all thirteen states of Malaysia, and two hundred kites from elsewhere in around the world, are featured. Also, among the masterpiece examples of waus, are displayed kite making materials, tools, techniques, memorabilia such as photographs, pins, ceramics, stamps and posters.

Indonesia...
Museum Layang Layang Jalan Haji Kamang No. 38,
Pondok Labu, Jakarta 12450
This is the first museum of kites in Indonesia. Displays include collections of kites from all corner of Nusantara and also from other countries, including traditional and modern kites.
http://selatan.jakarta.go.id /pariwisata/wbelajar_layangan .html

Taiwan...
Kite Museum of Chiou Fen Chiou Fen.
This is a glorious private collection of kites, making its home in an old building in the deserted gold mine town of Chiou Fen.
http://www.cfkite.com.tw/

USA...
World Kite Museum Long Beach, Washington
Founded in 1980s, by a group of kite enthusiasts who wanted to gather examples of kites in one area, the museum has a collection of more than 1500 kites from many cultures.
http://www.worldkitemuseum.com