Kites at play in Ningxia

Thousands of visitors watched kite-flying performances over the four-day holiday in Shizuishan, Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region.

More than 100 competitors from home and abroad took part in the the 2019 International Kite-flying Festival, including contestants from the United States, New Zealand and Russia.

Participants were judged on criteria including kite shape, size, color as well as flying techniques.

The event took place in the Shahu Lake area, one of the top 10 holiday destinations in Ningxia featuring deserts, lakes, reeds, birds, fish, mountains and lotuses. Over 98,000 visitors went to the lake and neighboring scenic spots according to a report from china.com.cn.

With a history of 2,300 years, Chinese kite has developed into a popular sport.