Art in the sky

Art in the sky

　Weifang, a city in Shandong, is famous as the capital of kites in the world. Kites enjoy a long history here.

　It is said that over 2,000 years ago, Mozi, a famous scientist in ancient China, made a flying bird out of wood. It was the first kite in history. In the Eastern Han Dynasty, Chinese people started to use paper to make kites. Slowly, kite flying became one of people’s most favorite outdoor activities.

　In 1984, Weifang held an international kite festival. It was very successful. From then on, the city had the festival every year. It draws kite lovers from all over the world. During the festival, people can see kites in different shapes. They can feel the joy of flying a kite up into the sky just like they did as a child.

　There is a kite museum in Weifang. It’s not very big but you can see lots of kites around the world. You can also learn how to make kites there.