Swallow kite skills enjoy flight of popularity

On a cold, frosty winter's morning, craftsman Yang Liping, 59, rises early to pack a bag of kite kits, then drives more than an hour to get to a community service center in Beijing's Tongzhou district.

There, a folk art workshop is held for the elderly from nearby communities. And it's Yang's turn to introduce them to the traditional shayan (swallow) kite and guide them as they have a hands-on experience of kite-making.

This kite-making craft originated from skills practiced by Cao Xueqin during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Cao, better known as the author of the Chinese literary classic A Dream of Red Mansions, has designed various styles of swallow-shaped kites with patterns, colors and the symmetrical structure reflecting Chinese people's traditional aesthetic preferences.

Cao also wrote a book in which he used catchy rhymes to explain the complicated process of making different styles of swallow-shaped kites, such as how to paint the outer coverings and how to choose suitable raw materials for the framework to better help the kite keep its shape and position when facing changing winds.

These beautifully designed kites have been hugely popular among Beijing residents for the past century, and tested the skills of craftsmen.

Yang is one of the inheritors of the craft. "Swallows fly from the north to the south when it gets cold and migrate back to the north when spring comes. The bird can, to some extent, symbolize the bond between the north and the south in China," says Yang.

The personification of the swallow is widely used in the creation of the shayan kite. For instance, the swallow with its thick girth represents brawny male grown-ups; the wasp-waisted ones represent graceful females; and a pair of inseparable birds, of course, represent an affectionate couple.

After a brief introduction of what is a shayan kite, Yang demonstrates how to use silk, bamboo chips and paper to make the kite and then encourages the workshop attendees to use paint to decorate the kite's cover.

Tang Ling, deputy director of the folk artists' association of Beijing's Dongcheng district, assists Yang in the workshop's kite-making class.

She says artists like Yang would be regularly organized by the association to teach crafts such as paper-cutting and making dough figurines in schools and communities.

"The workshop allows attendees to obtain knowledge about a certain folk art and get hands-on experience as well," she says. "That is likely to spark larger interest in our cultural treasures."

As the workshop ends, Yang carefully removes paint that dripped on each desk with a rag.

He has been busy giving kite-making classes in communities, colleges for the elderly and schools in recent years.

"Such classes help people to form a basic understanding of the folk art. If there's someone who is willing to further learn the skills, I would like to unreservedly pass on to him or her my kite-making know-how," he says.

"High school students are unlikely to spare much time from their study to learn the craftsmanship. However, getting a glimpse into the craft in my class is like sowing a seed of art in their hearts," he adds.

For Yang, kite-flying is a nostalgic pastime.

"Previously, it was common to see parents and their children go out to fly kites of various sizes and colors in parks and squares across Beijing during springtime," he says.

As a Beijing native who once lived near the Temple of Heaven Park, Yang used to take his son out to fly kites there.

One day in 1996, Yang and his son came across Fei Baoling, a veteran craftsman who is adept at making shayan kites and had a hand in transcribing and illustrating the kite-making book written by Cao.

Yang was impressed by the elaborately designed kite plates collected by Fei and showed growing interest.

Later, he quit his job as a construction worker and became an apprentice to Fei. "The craft strongly appealed to me as I never imagined that there's such a great deal of knowledge and expertise in kite-making," he recalls.

He learned to draw the swallows in various styles and integrate different design features into the image of the bird to express good wishes. For example, in traditional Chinese culture, peach-shaped decorations symbolize longevity and a bat represents good fortune. At this point, drawing a kite with the design features of a peach and bat can express the wish "may you enjoy good fortune and a long life".

"The kite is captivating and I have an eagerness to learn to draw more delicate kites," he says.

Over the past two decades, Yang has also witnessed how differently the kite is considered and appreciated.

"Although a kite is still just a toy in many people's eyes, an increasing number of people have started to know the cultural value of it," he says.

As the shayan kite carries good wishes and embraces craftsmanship, it has become a popular handicraft that people want to bring home. "People would buy the kite in the shape of a pair of inseparable swallows as a gift for newly married friends," says Yang.