It is universally acknowledged that the first kite flew into the air from China. Mo Di (468-376 BC), a famous philosopher of ancient China, once lived on Mount Lu (now the southeast of Qingzhou, Weifang), where he made an eagle with wood in three years and managed to fly it. This was the earliest kite in the world, which went back to 2,300 years ago. Early Chinese kites were employed to relay information, survey the force and direction of wind . Kites came into existence in China as means of amusement probably in Tang Dynasty. Later, due to the invention of paper, making kites cost less, thus made it possible to spread quickly among the folk.

    Making a kite, usually there are many processes, but the main sects include colligation, paperhanging, painting, flying. There are mainly four sorts of kites:

    1. Plank-shaped Kite

    It is defined as it is made by an ichnographic way. There are many different kinds of the Plank-shaped Kite, such as "Pisces", "Cicada", "Hexagon", etc.

    2. Hard-wing Kite

    This kind of kite is named for its special makeup. That is, around the wings of the "Bird" & "butterfly", it is made up of something hard. There are some common models such as "Swallow", "Owl", "Basket for flowers".

    3. Soft-wing Kite

The upside fringe of the wings is made up of a bar of bamboo, and the downside is left without anything except for the shaped paperhanging. Among this family , "Eagle", "Butterfly" and "Bird followed by ribbons" etc, are very common.

    4. Kite with a cluster

    This kind of kite is clustered by some same or different single kites .

    Chinese kite has always been maintaining its unique characteristics of traditional hand -made drawing and exhibiting true-life , as well as its auspiciousness and exquisite making. In 1913 European countries organized an international kite competition , and from then on kite associations in many countries had been founded. In 1936, kite flying was listed in the Olympic Games performing items. With the emerging of folk art research, the kite art has been enjoying a higher and higher reputation，and the Weifang International Kite Festival is one of the best representatives.