Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, Beijing has been the traditional production area of kites, which is famous for its exquisite production, and the production of a kite usually goes through ten procedures. In the early years, kites were one of the specialties of Liulichang, with traditional kites being the most distinctive, but it is hard to find them in the Liulichang generation.
The masterpiece of Beijing kites is Shayan kites (also called Jingyan kites). There are two representatives: one is Jin Fuzhong brother and sister, who were born in the top ten kites, and the exquisite kites in the color film "Kites" made by China and France in the 50's are from their hands. The other family is "Kite Ha", which is famous both in China and abroad. The thin sand swallows and string kites that won the special prize at the International Kite Show Competition in San Francisco, USA in 1983 were made by Ha Yi-Ha, the heir of "Kite Ha", who was the founder of "Kite Ha". It was the work of Ha Yiqi, the successor of "Kite Ha" at that time. Beijing kites had a new development, and many famous novices appeared, each with their own specialties in kite making, some of them were good at making huge kites, such as the giant dragon which was as long as 90 meters and 120 knots; some of them were good at making small and delicate kites, such as small palm swallows which were only a few centimeters in length, etc. The artistic shapes of Beijing kites were generally the same as that of the other kites. There are seven kinds of Beijing kites
-Shayan--also known as Jingyan, which is created in Beijing. It is also divided into three kinds: fat, thin sand swallow and baby swallow.
-Hard wing - also known as the "rice" character, because the skeleton structure like the "rice" character and so named. It is usually made into the Monkey King, Zhong Kui, or a flower basket.
-Soft wings - mostly three-dimensional imitation of the shape. Such as fly meanders, phoenixes, eagles, butterflies, crabs, peacocks and so on.
- Pair of swallows - also called stretcher, a bamboo stretcher for two kites. Generally made of swallows, butterflies, pigeons, flying, double chase, the initial period as alive.
-beats - divided into soft and hard beats, much like a flat plate. Made into octagonal, diamond or ladybug image. This type of kite must drag a long tail or spike, other... Several types of kites do not need to have a tail.
-Skewers - centipede or dragon kites.
-Tubes - kites in the shape of lanterns and buckets. Where is the best place to buy Beijing kites?
Flying Swallows at the bridge over the Royal River in the old city
I don't know how the strings make the east wind, but only the light thunder walks in the blue sky. The bridge over the Royal River is a place where you can see countless paper kites in the setting sun. --Qing Dynasty-Li Jingshan
As soon as the spring breeze arrives, the sky of old Beijing is filled with paper kites. Kite flying used to be a popular spring ritual in old Beijing, and the old people still remember the flowery kites and the delicate "sand swallows" that filled the Factory Garden. Although kite flying is a very popular activity, the threshold of investment is very low, but in fact, the old Beijing kites are very sophisticated - exquisite kites are worthy of the exquisite old Beijing.
Suggested places to buy: Houhai's "No Trace"
Main genres: Kongjia Cao's kites, Weifang's handmade kites
Classic styles: traditional Shayaner kites, award-winning goldfish and cicadas
Price: more than a hundred to a thousand dollars
Popularity to date Their kites are purely handmade, on the hall of art, with the line bolted out of the arc to fly, flattened is hanging on the wall of the art appreciation. But Ha's kites basically can not be bought on the market, Kong Xiangze, Kong Lingmin, Kong Bingzhang three generations of grandparents and grandchildren of the production of Cao's kites is a good choice, not only has a strong decorative, collectible role, but also can really put up.
The "No Trace" store at No. 73 Yanbu Xiejie, Houhai, is a handicrafts store that has just opened and sells real handmade Cao's kites by the Kong family, ranging from 100 yuan to thousands of yuan, as well as international award-winning works. There are also real Weifang kites, which are less expensive than Cao's kites - of course, the delicate dragon head kites are still very expensive. Cao kites are mostly made of non-woven fabric, while Weifang kites are mostly made of silk.
In the inner ring, kites dance all over the garden in spring
The grass grows and the warblers fly in February, and the willows on the embankment are intoxicated by the green smoke. Children return early from school and are busy flying paper kites in the east wind. --Qing Gao Ding
Do you still remember the kite that your father tied for you when you were a child? Although it may be very simple, simple just a square, simple is a large piece of white paper, but bring you a recall full of smiles of childhood. Kites may be one of the more extravagant toys of our childhood, although children have played with expensive toys, but the joy of flying a kite is still irreplaceable - the key is to fly, no matter how much money the kite, the most important thing is to be able to fly it successfully.
Suggested place to buy: Commodity markets
Classic style: plastic triangular folding kites (sturdy and easy to fly)
Price: from one to twenty to one hundred dollars
Not only are they available in the commodity markets, but also in large supermarkets. If you're too lazy to go out and buy a kite, you can fly a kite in a big square or a park, and they'll sell them. The first thing to do is to choose a sturdy kite, and of course, if you want to make sure that it can fly, the brightly colored and cute cartoon kites are the most appealing. If you give the child to play, the head can not be too large, otherwise the child can not control, it will become a child you play to watch. Most of the texture is plastic cloth and non-woven fabric, plastic triangle kite is the most "stupid" kite, the best to fly, followed by the traditional sand swallow kite.
If you want to buy something unique, you can pick a three-dimensional kite, a beautiful novelty. Speaking of novelty, there are also kites with colorful lights, which are hung on the kites and flicker in the night sky, giving them a magical feeling.
Outside the grass grows and warblers fly to fight colorful kites
Speaking of here have to mention is the talented Li Yu wrote that very romantic love story "kite error": Han Shixun and Zhan Shujuan talent and beauty through the kite to write love poems, and later dramatized the wrong point of the spectrum of lovebirds, and ultimately, lovers finally come together, which kites can not be said to be the role of the "pulling line"! The kite can't be said to have played the role of "pulling the thread". How about it? Do you want to have a modern version of the kite wonderland it, take her trekking flowers, resting on the lawn, write your love declaration of the kite up, creative good right? But this kind of romance is the need for technology.
Suggested place to buy: Sanshizhai in Di'anmen
Classic style: DIY kites
Price: 30 to 40 yuan
Sanshizhai is an ancestral kite store owned by Liu, whose specialty is the traditional sand swallow kite and the long dragon kite. It's one of the few kite stores that has a full range of kites and can customize them. If you have the courage to challenge yourself, you can even make a DIY kite. Of course, for those who don't know how to make a kite, it's better to just draw on the kite with your own hands, and let the professionals do the specialized procedures such as making the skeleton. Such a kite is absolutely unique and interesting - a surprise and a touching gift for her (or him). Of course, in order to ensure the quality of the surprise, we recommend you to choose non-woven material, which is easier to draw. But be patient, the store does not provide space and tools for you to draw, you need to take the non-woven home to draw, and then send back to the production.
If your decision to fly a kite is too hasty, don't regret it. If you're going in the direction of Shunyi, Pinggu, Miyun, or Huairou, you can make temporary purchases at the Sunhe Kite Market along the Beijing-Shunzhou Expressway. Most of the kite buyers are kite enthusiasts and wholesalers, and most of the kites sold in Beijing come from here. There are so many varieties of kites that you can definitely pick the one you are satisfied with. A simple set of paper kites is only ten yuan, color cloth made of butterflies, dragonflies kites to twenty or thirty dollars, the production of exquisite centipede kites will cost about two hundred dollars.