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Originally, kites had special religious significance and often related to spirits and deities. Specifically, kites were used as "divine instruments in matters of justice and as a means of protection from evil" (Newman, Newman, p.139). Polynesians associated their kites with deities, the soul, and as a means of making contact with the gods in heaven. Most of their kites were bird-shaped, and tribal chiefs used special kites for rituals as a means of identifying themselves to their tribe and gods. In Hawai'i and other parts of the Central Pacific, kite dramas were performed, and kites were perceived as manifestations of gods and as celestial objects flown by gods (Newman, Newman, p.139). Japanese people also believed prayers were brought closer to gods by kites. In China the kite had symbolic significance of the Festival of Ascending on High in which kites conjured good luck and repelled evil (Newman, Newman, p. 128).
Traditionally Cambodians flew kites with a strip of bamboo attached to them above the house at night. The bamboo gave off a strange sound when vibrated by the wind. The sound was thought to frighten away evil spirits. Similarly, in Indonesia, sailors and fisher folk flew kites from their canoes to symbolize the human soul and victory of the spiritual over the physical (Mouvier, p. 4).
Connections with Children
Historically, Korea, Vietnam, and Japan have hung windsock kites to celebrate the birth of their sons. In Korea, the name and date of birth of each son was written and attached to the kites. Once the kite was high into the air, the families cut the line so the kite would be carried off and evil spirits would be drawn away from the children. During children's Day celebrations in Japan, giant kites are flown controlled by teams of fifty people for an hour at sunset.
Connections with Territory and Battle
Throughout Asian folklore, famous battles were remembered through particular images and faces on kites. Traditional tales, deeds, heroes, and deities are painted on kites. The Chinese invented the earliest human-lifting kites. The Chinese emperor banned extra-large kites as he heard he would lose his throne to foreign powers said to descend from the heavens (Mouvier, p. 10).
The earliest record of uses of kites for military purposes involved Chinese general Han-Sin who used kites to calculate the distance between his army and the enemy. As a result of calculating this distance, he was able to dig a tunnel under his enemies' palace walls and take the palace by surprise. Subsequent to this besieging, kites were more heavily relied upon for military purposes, such as signaling between troops, and distributing propaganda behind enemy lines (Mouvier, p. 5).
Anatomy of a Kite
According to Eden, a kite is a "heavier than-air tethered aircraft that is kept aloft in a perpetual stall by the wind." A kite possesses the following three essential characteristics: 1. a structure designed to gain lift from the wind, 2. a flying line (tether) that keeps the kite from blowing away, and 3. a bridle to direct the face of a kite at a proper angle to the wind for lift (Eden, p.18).
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