At Yang Hongwei's studio in Yangjiabu village in Weifang, East China's Shandong Province, a 60-meter-long kite with a dragon head patiently awaits the moment to take off at the 42nd Weifang International Kite Festival this weekend, when thousands of kites from around the world will soar into the sky alongside it and fill the skies above the city.

Among the colorful and creatively shaped kites at the annual festival, those made using Weifang's traditional techniques - recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage (ICH) - can immediately draw onlookers' attention with their distinctive charm that keeps pace with the times.

The 75-year-old Zhang Xiaodong, an inheritor of the kite-making technique, is also ready to appear with his kites at the festival for the 42nd time. On Zhang's workshop table lies a notebook, in which each page meticulously records the design inspirations and production details of the kites he has made, documenting every transformation they undergo, including over 20 design drawings of the kite he plans to exhibit this year.

While the diverse styles of the kites change for every year's festival, what remains unchanged is the inheritance and persistence of inheritors. As Zhang shared with the Global Times, the ­enduring motivation behind his work over the years stems from the land's deep-rooted passion for kite artistry.

Originating in China over 2,000 years ago, flying a kite has evolved into a popular artistic tradition and outdoor leisure activity, which have even been recorded in many classic poems. In Weifang, located near the mouth of the Yellow River and known as "kite capital of the world," flying kites has become an integral part of daily life, and not just in spring. For generations, locals have passed down and transformed their kite-flying traditions under the influence of the river's natural conditions.

The Weifang kites are deeply connected to the Yellow River, a bond that shines through its unique shape as well as the cultural meanings and life wisdom it represents. According to experts, this connection is a key reason why Weifang kites have remained so popular over the years.

Loyal to tradition, courage to innovate

"The hallmark of Weifang kites is their ability to embody any shape, capturing a spectrum of emotions - from joy to anger, sadness to happiness - in their intricate designs," Zhang told the Global Times.

One of the kites Zhang designed for this year's kite festival features an image of a snake to showcase the theme of "the auspicious snake brings good fortune." He blends the vibrant colors and designs of traditional Chinese New Year paintings with the dynamic beauty of the Snake zodiac. On the kite, a green snake winds around a treasure basin and its tail is cleverly crafted to sway naturally in the wind. Meanwhile, the stacked gold ingots and copper coins in the treasure basin break free from flatness, creating a striking three-dimensional effect.

Yang also prefers using images of auspicious animals as protagonists in the designs of her kites. This year, the inheritor crafted a three-dimensional palace lantern kite, incorporating the traditional woodblock prints of a child into its design. The kite features a striking contrast between red and yellow, with the "Fu" character (meaning good fortune) and golden fish patterns complementing each other.

Zhang Zongjian, a member of China Folk Literature and Art Association and an associate professor at Jiangsu Normal University, told the Global Times that visually, Weifang kites are a canvas of Yellow River symbolism. Motifs like bats, which symbolize good fortune, and carp, representing prosperity, echo folk art traditions from neighboring provinces such as Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Henan - areas linked by the river's cultural current.

"These designs are not just decorations; they reflect a collective psychology of venerating natural forces and seeking auspiciousness, core themes in Yellow River civilization," the expert noted.

In the process of inheriting traditional styles, Zhang Xiaodong began pursuing the goals of "making kites sing" and "bringing kites to life." He incorporated knowledge he had learned in his youth, such as Peking Opera costume making and mechanical principles, into the kite-making process.

"Because I learned watch and lock repair as a child, I thought about using watch gears to make the kites move. By applying the mechanical principles I've studied, I can make these kites fly even higher."

At the Weifang International Kite Festival, visitors can enjoy not only traditional kite designs but also many innovative kites that incorporate modern elements and creative concepts. These include new patterns like the Chinese Tiangong space station, and the 75-meter-long kite in the shape of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, which has gone viral on short video platforms. Additionally, the Weifang kite team showcases stunt kites that can be controlled with two strings, allowing the kites to form any shape as they team up. Whenever the festival opens, the phrase "Everything can soar" can become a hot topic on social media.

Molded by soil of the Yellow River

Kite-making involves dozens of steps and is divided into four major techniques: framing, pasting, painting, and flying. For Weifang's kite artisans, each step holds the potential for innovation.

Zheng Changling, a research fellow at the Chinese National Academy of Arts, told the Global Times that Weifang kite-making is more than a craft; it's a "cultural organism" that encapsulates the river's ethos of resilience and creativity.

"It's an 'aerial epic' of the people - their wisdom about getting along with nature, their emotional bonds, and their spiritual aspirations," Zheng said.

Zhang Xiaodong often roams the streets and alleys in search of creative inspiration. Many of his unconventional ideas come from fleeting moments in everyday life - like passing by a certain place on his way home or catching sight of a particular snack by the roadside. The Weifang kites he creates embody two intertwined philosophies of life: the carefree freedom of soaring to the skies and the warm, grounded charm of the kitchen's rising steam.

In Weifang, the "everyday stories" of the people can be seen floating in the sky in spring. Among the Weifang kites, there is a dragon-head kite inspired by local vegetables. Red chili peppers form the dragon's horns, rapeseed its eyebrows, shiitake mushrooms its eyes, and garlic its nose. Over a dozen types of local vegetables are pieced together to create a unique "Weifang imprint." Wang Yongxun, vice chairman of the China Kite Association, sees this type of kite as a reflection of Weifang's thriving agriculture.

Some kites are even more whimsical: the wings of butterfly kites are painted with freshly cooked chive pockets, and the tentacles of octopus kites are adorned with small tin kettles. The wings of swallow kites are embroidered with the 24 solar terms, revealing scenes from terms like the Spring Equinox and Lesser Snow when they take flight.

The philosophy hidden in the kites is tied to the Yellow River's agrarian rhythms. According to associate professor Zhang Zongjian, the tradition of flying kites during the Qingming Festival, for instance, fused with the region's 24 solar terms culture, embodying a "harmony between Heaven and humanity." "Early kites emerged from practical needs - measuring wind patterns for farming - before evolving into seasonal rituals," he explained.

Besides Weifang kites, the Yellow River Basin's intangible cultural heritages - from Zhu Xianzhen New Year paintings in Kaifeng, Henan Province, to Heze dough sculptures in Shandong Province - often follow a "utilitarian-to-artistic" trajectory.

"Weifang kites are no exception. They transitioned from agricultural tools to decorative emblems, yet retained their role as vessels of collective memory," Zhang said.

Weifang kites have long evolved from the imagery in the poem from Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) poet Zheng Banqiao, which says "paper flowers like snow fill the sky," to becoming beloved global treasures that soar in the skies of over 100 countries. Yet, in the eyes of artisans like Yang and Zhang, these paper-crafted masterpieces have never been merely decorative objects; they are a living chapter of humanity's struggles and joys, molded by the soil of the Yellow River and enriched by the essence of local culture.

The elder generation of Weifang kite inheritors is passing down not only techniques but also the spirit behind kites to thousands of their students when bringing the ICH into campuses to plant the seeds of interest.

Yang noted that with popular platforms such as the Weifang International Kite Festival and the power of social media, this heritage is also attracting more young people to join the ranks of its preservation.

Just like the Yellow River, the heritage's life is constantly flowing forward.

The article first appeared in the Global Times:

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202504/1332356.shtml