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A History of Kites

Origins

Kites, like wheels, are very simple but ingenious inventions which makes it seem like they have been around forever. The exact origin of the kite is still disputed, but they have been around for at least 2000 years. The reason why it is difficult to pin down when kites were invented is because they are such fragile objects, presumably made of only bamboo and some sort fabric such as silk. They would disintegrate over time very quickly. Instead, we have to rely on written records or tales for our history of kites.

A popular story was that the kite was invented when a farmer tied a string to his hat to keep the wind from blowing it away. The veracity of this story is somewhat dubious, but makes for an amusing tale. Also, it is questionable if the product of this farmer's clever thinking can be classified as a kite. The first written record of anyone using a kite was in 200 BC in China when a kite was flown by a general into the opposing army's territory during the Han Dynasty. The kite served as a safe way to measure how far they would have to dig a tunnel to get past the other army's defenses. Kites were used for a variety of other military uses as well, such as signaling and messaging, which they were used for during the Mongol period.

Asian Expansion

From there, kite flying spread to the rest of Asia, first to Japan by way of monks where they were used as part of religious ceremony. Kites were thought to ward away unseen evils and bring good fortune for harvest time. Kites were thought to be a way to get closer to and a medium to talk to the gods. Each part of Asia had different purposes for flying kites which ultimately led to the kite changing forms from just the regular diamond shape to a variety of others. In Korea, the presence of a shooting star signifies bad luck to come. In the year 600 AD, there was a revolt in which soldiers were called upon to crush the revolt, but they would not fight because of the star. To remedy this, the general attached a fireball to a kite to so that the star would "return to heaven", ending the bad omen. After seeing this, the soldiers were much more willing to fight and control was reestablished.

In Japan, during the Edo era, kites were a luxury form of amusement. It was said that kites made people idle and forget about their work, which was why kite flying was a restricted privilege for the Samurai class. Kites became popular in India during the time the Mughal Dynasty ruled, about 1500 AD. A folk tale has it that a boy who wanted to communicate with the girl he loved used kites to send her love letters. The girl was forbidden to see him and kept secluded, so the kites were a way to bypass what divided them.

Western Expansion

Kites spread to the Western world when Marco Polo visited Asia and brought back stories about kites. He had detailed records about how kites were created and how to appropriately fly them. Sailors also brought back kites to the western hemisphere as souvenirs from their exploits. For many years in Europe, kites were regarded as mere toys for children. This would soon change as kites became used in scientific experimentation.

Alexander Wilson, a British scientist, used kites to carry thermometers higher to measure air temperatures in the various layers of the atmosphere. George Cayley used the kite as a model to examine the challenges of building a flying machine (which we now call an airplane). George Pollock developed a way to use kites to pull carriages. Kites were gaining momentum as a serious scientific tool and would continue to be used in both World Wars to train aircraft gunners (as kites can be used to simulate moving targets) and used for signaling and lifting emergency radio antennae.

Throughout the 2000+ years that the kite has been around, it has not only be an enjoyable toy to play with but also a very practical instrument with very versitile purposes.