The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1907-08-17
KITE FESTIVAL
IN THE ORIENT
Flyers Show the Love of Art
and Decoration Character
iStiC of China.


lines. 1t forms one of the leading fea-
lures Of new and extensive Chinese
collection, recently obtained by the we'll
known explorer and traveller DR.. Ber-
mold Laufer. Through the generosity Of
Jacob H. Schiff this collection has be-
come part OF the institution. Ii is de-
signed 10 illustrate the ancient arts,
crafts and industries Of the empire, as
Vel as the present artistic culture
everyday life, amusementS and popular
paStlmeS OF the people. These surprising
and extraordinary kites are not yet all
ulspiayed, but IN the new west wing now
being built there is TO be a special
(hlnese hall where they are to be eff
1ectlNely exhibited. a Times man. how
ever obtained photographs OF some of
Inc most important and picturesque Of
me Kites, together with some interesting
information in regard to them. They
were all secured in Pelin from celc-
pfated ktemaker and consist of about 100
different sizes, designs and shapes They
cost from . cents for the smallest up
20 $40 for the largest and highly decor
ated ones In kite making, China is far
anead OF the rest of the world. and III
this particular sport she has no rival
among the most progressive nations of
The Occldt mt. In vivid contrast to the
crude and unadorned productions of
America, with its tail Of rags, are the
attractive, artistic and deliberately paint
ed DlaYthings of the Chinese.
The kites are wonderful specimens i'm
lhelr way and portray great deal of
ingenuity. especially the love of art and
decoration which runs through the whole
life Of the Chinese people, from their
highest creations to the most common
place object Of amusement. The frame
OF the kite is of light bamboo, covered
with rice paper, upon which is painted
in brilliant hues the many human por-
trait figures and the various animal crea-
lures. The plain and simple shaped kite
of the Yankee boy Is put TO blush in
comparison with the unique and gorgeous
coiored creations of the Chinese. In
China kite flying is a national paStime |
and is one of the leading outdoor diver
sions Of the sons of both mandarinS and |
MOBILES, as well as the lower and middle |
classes They are flown on certain hOli- |
days. one of the most popular being the |
Festival Of Ascending on High oc- |
curing on the ninth day of the ninth |
MONTH On this occasion the hills and /
open country are covered with great pro- !
cessions of kite flyers both old and /
young. who devote the whole day TO |
this sport The kites are manipulated by /
coil Of strong cord wound over a reel. |
in FuchOW. some 10000 people assemble /
on the hills annually during the kite |
festivals to watch aud join in this highly 1
popular amusement The great variety
of the fitting forms, thousands or more,
cause a marvellous spectacle in the air,
producing sort OF panorama Of the
hobEoblins Of the upper world. The uni
Versal use Of the kite is not looked upon
rs q form Of amusement alone. but has
a sort of religious interest connected with 4
il, as each particular kite has its mean
Ing and conveys some emblem2tiC idea. I
story or legend is suggested and some
famous god or warriors face may be
depicted. The Ekeresses of various ami
mails and the insects. more or less be-
lieved to be creatures of good luck rath-
~ than evil such as frogs. fishes. fire ,
flies butterflies. owls. hawks gigantic
rentipedes, bats, NEUROLOGICAL beings.
beautiful women. etc, form the designs
of the most Of them.
one of the novel and ingenious types
is that of the musical kite. This has .
bow of bamboo, with silk string fas
tened 10 the top. I'm flying the wind
strikes the string and PLAYS upon il like
an aeOlian harp, producing a pleasing and
loud tone. one Of the musical kites ac-
cOTding TO Chinese military traditions,
was once employed most effectively as a
decoy. A Chinese general al war agaiuet
an invading force. sent up one Of these
musical kites with lighted lanterns at
tached. 1t SCARED over the camp Of the
enemy, who, hearing the strange music.
thought the object was alive. Imme-
djately al the arrows were shot at the
mysterious shape in the air. After the
soldiers had wasted their ammunition
the Chinese general charged upon them
and they were easily put to rout
A great number of the kites are con
StrGcted 10 represent theatrical scenes
and faVOTite heroes Of ancient and mod
eln dramas. In most cases. excepting
those OF the women. the faces are COW
cred with long bearded grOteSuue masks
Probably fhe most wonderful and in
maker is designed to represent gigantic
reutipede. This is uuQuestiOnably the
longest and most fantastic amusement de-
vice that has ever been constructed for ,
aerial flight. From head to tail it meas
ureS nearly forty feet and is made to
fold mp accordion like. As will be seen.
the fierce large head of the creature.
with long prorudlng horns, huge eyes
and gaping mouth, forms the front of the
kite. This is the gem and marvel of the
whole collection and entirely new to the
ewes of the western world. Two views {
Of this, showing a near glimpse of the :
head and the kite stretched out at fun ,
length. are shown.
The construction Of this kite is as fol-
lows Extending from head TO tail and
constituting the body portion are a series
OF bamboo sticks running crosswise 70 |
the center. to which are fastened twenty
five or more pasUebOard disks a foot or {
more in diameter, These are painted in ,
circles of black, yellow ana white, repre-
senting the all-seeing eyes Of the mvtho-
logical creature. A tail portion of narrow
strips IS arranged to the last piece OF
bamboo. BY a mechanical continuance
the curved pieces of pasteboard forming $
the eyes are made to reVolve by the wind .
while the kite is being flown. Seen in the
air with its Serpentne-like motion. Its
huge glarinS eyes. swiftly twirling in their !
sockets, the effect is said TO be astonish- |
ingly realistic. producing quite an awe
least. While being flown a cord is at r
tached 10 three or more points of its !
length in order to keep it under control
in strong wind several men are re-
luired TO hold the reel. Undoubtedly we {
have here one of the first and most an
rient patterns of flying machines, thou c
sands of years old. I
Many Of the kites are flown without
tails. though number have lighted can
lies and lanterns attached These are {
flown at night, and produce a weird and /
spectacular sight. One of the peculiar :
vpes is the fighting kite. This is about S
i've feet long and cross shaped, the ends q
terminating in sharp points. For this :
aerial warfare silk cords or strings are
lscd. which have been dipped their en-
ire length in fish glue and preparation
II powdered glass or porcelain. The kites !
are sent up, and the moment the strings 5
are crossed the battle begins. When half f
dozen or more become entangled. the
port sometimes lasts nearly day. Mon
~ is frequently wagered on the result. ,
md special matches are arranged by eX- 4
lerts in kite fightin& [
On the 14th of the first month II is Gus g
omary to write in Chinese characters
IN kites a wish to the effect that the q
ears misfortunes may be carried away =
with them. Mothers write il for their y
hildTen. with their names and dates of u
birth. The letters are placed along the o
bamboo frame, so that they may not be b
'een by anyone who might be tempted
o pick the kite up. Boys tie piece OF r