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Teeny-weeny wings lift kite-making master's spirit
By Xu Wenwen |
March 7, 2011, Monday
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WITH spring here and the weather getting more pleasant, it is the ideal time to go fly a kite in a park, square or any other open place. But for city dwellers who don't want to carry around such a huge object or venture far from their office building or apartment, there is another option - the minikite.
Minikites, with a width ranging from less than 1 centimeter to 20 centimeters, are able to fly with only a slight breeze. So even among close buildings, they will rise as long as the wind whiffles.
Like full-size Chinese kites, minikites are attached by a single line, and are mostly decorated with an insect or winged animal, such as butterfly, dragonfly or swallow.
Kites were known to be used approximately 2,800 years ago in China, and the minikite was invented in Henan Province in northern China in recent years.
However, "compared with windy northern China, southern China experiences more breezes than gales, which is more suitable to fly minikites," says Chen Yonglian, a Hangzhou master of making minikites.
The 77-year-old is one of the few craftsmen in the country capable of making minikites. Accordingly, there are far less minikites than normal-size kites on the market, since the craft of making minikites is more time-consuming and the materials demand more attention.
"Kites of normal size can be mass manufactured, but the miniatures have to be handmade, otherwise, they will drop," says Chen. "Even though they are handmade, only seven or eight minikites among 10 I make can float in the air.
"The biggest difficulty of making a minikite is to ensure that both sides are balanced," says Chen. "Therefore, its poles at both sides have to be equal in weight, flexibility and size."
Chen shows some of his kites, with lengths varying from 10 to 17 centimeters, all boasting very thin bamboo poles with a diameter of 0.5-1 millimeter, almost one-fifth the width of a toothpick.
Each kite is stretched across five poles. Two are at its axis (the body), one goes through the upper line of the wings, and the other two lie at the lower part of the wings.
"I pick four or five-year-old bamboo, so it is not too fragile to support the kite or too old to be bent," Chen says. "Then I dry the bamboo in the shade for half a year so it becomes lighter, stronger and more flexible.
"Then you just need patience to strip the bamboo, which does cost time and energy, especially with my poor eyesight," he adds.
Although some minikites are made of paper, Chen prefers to cover his kites with a sort of Hangzhou silk, which is very thin and light.
"So my kites won't be ruined if they drop into the West Lake," explains Chen.
In the same manner, he uses cellophane tape and seccotine to stick the bamboo and silk together, instead of common glue that is used for big kites.
To ensure the kite won't lose balance in the air, the two sides/wings are required to be exactly the same in size and shape. Chen's method is to double up the silk, pad carbon paper between the two sheets, and draw one wing, so the other is also outlined.
To finish off a kite, it needs to be well-decorated, and Chen has tried out many ideas.
As to the tools, he has tried brush, ball pen and ink pen, but eventually found out the best way is to outline using an ink pen and to color by all kinds of highlighter pens.
Since he likes to draw butterflies the most, Chen bought a butterfly album so he could copy real butterflies in his designs.
Although smaller than the palm of a hand, a minikite takes Chen at least one day to make.
Chen had no previous handicraft experience when he started making minikites 12 years ago. His interest was sparked after ascending Baochu Hill and witnessing someone flying a small kite on the bank of the West Lake.
"I was inspired at that moment and I immediately asked him to be my teacher," recalls Chen.
"My life was boring since I retired, but from that day flying kites has revived me."
Minikites, with a width ranging from less than 1 centimeter to 20 centimeters, are able to fly with only a slight breeze. So even among close buildings, they will rise as long as the wind whiffles.
Like full-size Chinese kites, minikites are attached by a single line, and are mostly decorated with an insect or winged animal, such as butterfly, dragonfly or swallow.
Kites were known to be used approximately 2,800 years ago in China, and the minikite was invented in Henan Province in northern China in recent years.
However, "compared with windy northern China, southern China experiences more breezes than gales, which is more suitable to fly minikites," says Chen Yonglian, a Hangzhou master of making minikites.
The 77-year-old is one of the few craftsmen in the country capable of making minikites. Accordingly, there are far less minikites than normal-size kites on the market, since the craft of making minikites is more time-consuming and the materials demand more attention.
"Kites of normal size can be mass manufactured, but the miniatures have to be handmade, otherwise, they will drop," says Chen. "Even though they are handmade, only seven or eight minikites among 10 I make can float in the air.
"The biggest difficulty of making a minikite is to ensure that both sides are balanced," says Chen. "Therefore, its poles at both sides have to be equal in weight, flexibility and size."
Chen shows some of his kites, with lengths varying from 10 to 17 centimeters, all boasting very thin bamboo poles with a diameter of 0.5-1 millimeter, almost one-fifth the width of a toothpick.
Each kite is stretched across five poles. Two are at its axis (the body), one goes through the upper line of the wings, and the other two lie at the lower part of the wings.
"I pick four or five-year-old bamboo, so it is not too fragile to support the kite or too old to be bent," Chen says. "Then I dry the bamboo in the shade for half a year so it becomes lighter, stronger and more flexible.
"Then you just need patience to strip the bamboo, which does cost time and energy, especially with my poor eyesight," he adds.
Although some minikites are made of paper, Chen prefers to cover his kites with a sort of Hangzhou silk, which is very thin and light.
"So my kites won't be ruined if they drop into the West Lake," explains Chen.
In the same manner, he uses cellophane tape and seccotine to stick the bamboo and silk together, instead of common glue that is used for big kites.
To ensure the kite won't lose balance in the air, the two sides/wings are required to be exactly the same in size and shape. Chen's method is to double up the silk, pad carbon paper between the two sheets, and draw one wing, so the other is also outlined.
To finish off a kite, it needs to be well-decorated, and Chen has tried out many ideas.
As to the tools, he has tried brush, ball pen and ink pen, but eventually found out the best way is to outline using an ink pen and to color by all kinds of highlighter pens.
Since he likes to draw butterflies the most, Chen bought a butterfly album so he could copy real butterflies in his designs.
Although smaller than the palm of a hand, a minikite takes Chen at least one day to make.
Chen had no previous handicraft experience when he started making minikites 12 years ago. His interest was sparked after ascending Baochu Hill and witnessing someone flying a small kite on the bank of the West Lake.
"I was inspired at that moment and I immediately asked him to be my teacher," recalls Chen.
"My life was boring since I retired, but from that day flying kites has revived me."
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