Who is the inventor of the kite?

Many foreign experts and scholars commented that the Phoenix Zheng is an inseparable part of China traditional culture. Needham, a famous British scholar, listed kites as one of the major scientific inventions spread by the Chinese nation to Europe in his book World Science and Technology. There is a clear record in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, USA: "The earliest aircraft were kites and rockets from China." This fully shows that China is the first country to make kites in the world. Many foreign countries are known as "Flying Tang" and "Flying Dragon".

Kite is a kind of toy that is pulled by thread and lifted off by wind. It is called "paper kite" in the north of China and "kite" in the south of China. Later, continuous improvement was made, and bamboo flutes or strings were installed on the head of the kite. When the breeze blows, it makes a zither-like sound, which is pleasant to listen to, hence the name "kite". Every spring and March, kites fly very high, colorful and swaying, just like a light butterfly and a flapping bird competing in the air. The scene is very interesting. In the article Kite, Mr. Lu Xun described in detail the situation of flying kites in the countryside: "The kite season in my hometown is in February in spring. If you hear the rustling wind wheel, you can look up and see a crab kite with light ink color or a centipede kite with tender blue color. ..... But at this time, the willows on the ground have sprouted, and the early mountain peaches have sprouted, which complements the decorations of the children in the sky and becomes a gentle spring day. " Not long ago, over the central square of the first folk entertainment meeting held in Shanghai Zhongshan Park, dozens of Weifang kites spread their wings and were cleverly conceived, forming a colorful and dazzling beautiful picture scroll. Indeed, on a pleasant spring and autumn day, when the clouds are light and the wind is light, people go to the countryside to fly kites, which is not only a kind of enjoyment, but also a kind of physical and mental health-promoting sports activity.

According to research, the predecessor of paper kite is wooden kite, which is actually an early aircraft made by the ancients. Unfortunately, this skill has been lost for a long time, and there are only recorded fragments in ancient books. Some people think that the earliest inventor of kites was Lu Ban during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. Mozi. Lu Wen said, "The loser today (that is, Lu Ban) cut bamboo and wood into magpies (like an eagle kite). Fly away and stay for three days. " Huainanzi Qi custom says: "Lu Mozi, with wood as the kite, will not get together for three days", which confirms this statement again. The Book of History records more clearly: During the Spring and Autumn Period, Lu wanted to attack the Song State, so he "lost like a kite to see Song Cheng". Volume 3 of Yilin also said: "Lu Ban carved a wooden kite and could not fly for three days." Bao puzi "Release Stagnation" also said: "The public lost the flying wood." The so-called "wood" is synonymous with "wooden kite". Thus, if wooden kites are regarded as the earliest kites in China, then Lu Ban is not only the founder of woodworking in China, but also the pioneer of kite making in China. Judging from the process of making kites, in ancient times, human beings yearned for the freedom to fly into the sky and get rid of all fetters, which also produced many beautiful stories full of fantasy, and the appearance of wooden kites was the product of this fantasy. Judging from Lu Ban's special position at that time, it was very possible to make primitive aircraft such as wooden kites with his skills.

Some scholars also pointed out that "magpie" is different from "kite", saying that Lu Ban's "wooden kite" is not credible. According to ancient literature, the first kite in the world was made by Mozi. "Mozi" said: "It was originally an owl, which was formed in three years and lost in one day"; Everything is wrong. The foreign reserve said that it was recorded at the top left: "Mozi is a wooden kite, which was made in three years and lost in one day." This "kite" and "kite" are the prototypes of China kites.

Many experts pointed out that "wooden kite" was the earliest kite. This is an eternal injustice. A "wooden kite" is a bird-shaped aircraft made of wood that glides forward, while a kite is an aircraft powered by paper paste. On this basis, they think that kites were actually invented by Han Xin, a famous soldier in the early Han Dynasty. The basis is: (1) Song Gaocheng's "Original Objects" records: "Kites are common kites, and it has been said that clouds were made by Han Xin from ancient times to the present. Emperor Zheng Chen (BC 196) took this as a starting point, pretending to be a kite, flying it in order to measure the distance between officials in Weiyang, and wanted to enter them through the ground tunnel. " (2) Wang Sanpin's Textual Research on Ancient and Modern Events has the same record. When Liu Bang and Xiang Yu fought a decisive battle, Han Xin led an army to surround the Chu army, drove kites day and night, and sent Qingqi to sit on it. Riding the night wind, he quietly came to the sky above the official of Chu, sang a sad Chu song, made Chu soldiers homesick, demoralized the army, and finally lost. These legends are not credible. But it is possible to make kites out of paper in the Han Dynasty. If so, the invention right of kites should be owned by Han Xin.

It has been pointed out that Han Xin didn't mention the key problem of using rope to pull kites in ancient books, so it is hard to say that Han Xin was the inventor of kites. In the Five Dynasties, Ye Li first invented kites by cutting, tying and pasting threads. "Inquiring about the humble record" said: "Paper kites are also called wind kites. In the first five dynasties, Han Liye made paper kites in the palace, attracting kites to ride the wind as a play, and those who made kites later used bamboo as a flute, making the wind quiet like a kite and kites popular. " Lang Ying's "Seven Drafts" also contains: "The paper kite was made by the Five Dynasties Han and was a performer in the palace." All these prove that the real inventor of kites is Ye Li of the Five Dynasties.

In fact, it may be inaccurate to think that the creation of kites extended to the Five Dynasties and Ten Countries, because kites were already used in the military as early as the Liang Xiao period in the Southern and Northern Dynasties. According to "Duzhi", "In the third year of Liang Wutai's Qing Dynasty, Hou Jing Weitai Taicheng, bamboo slips were paper kites, and they were in a hurry." That is to say, during the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Hou Jing led troops to besiege Liang Wudi, the emperor of Taicheng, and Yang Kan, a military strategist, came up with a wonderful method for Liang Wudi: flying kites in the city and sending emergency documents for reinforcements through kites in the air.

Soon, reinforcements arrived and Liang Wudi was rescued. In the third year of Liang Wudi Taiqing, namely 549 AD, it was four centuries earlier than Ye Li in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. In fact, at least in the Tang Dynasty, kites were not only used in military affairs, but also became advanced toys for people's entertainment. Kites are not only equipped with strings or flutes, but also carry bright and luxurious lanterns into the night sky. The scenery is undoubtedly very moving. Judging from the above evidence, it is not accurate to say that Ye Li invented kites in the Five Dynasties. Who is its real inventor is still an unsolved mystery.

Around the middle of the18th century, kites spread abroad and formed an indissoluble bond with many famous foreign scientists. 1752, when a thunderstorm came, Franklin of the United States used kites to prove that lightning was originally a discharge phenomenon in clouds, thus revealing the mystery of lightning and adding a glorious page to kites in the history of science and technology. 19 15 The painted kite made by Tianjin kite artist Wei Wusu won the gold medal in Panama International Fair. The following year, the fancy kite made by Beijing skillful hand Ha Chang Ying also won the silver medal. Kites such as butterflies, swallows and the Monkey King developed by Beijing Kite Art Company have been exhibited in more than 20 countries and won unanimous praise and praise from international experts. More than 200 kinds of products produced by the famous Yangliuqing Kite Factory in Tianjin have been exported to more than 20 countries and regions such as Britain, the United States, France and Hong Kong. In recent years, all kinds of characteristic kites produced in Weifang, the largest kite producing area in China, have sold well in domestic and foreign markets. China's ancient kites are popular all over the world, and many countries have set off a "kite fever". French and China filmmakers also co-produced a film called Kite, which has become a bond of friendship between people of all countries. In addition, the sport of "flying kites" is still very popular abroad: athletes climb kites with their hands, skateboard with their feet, and stand on the water and slide forward quickly.

At present, the discussion about kite art, including who is the inventor of kite, is attracting many Chinese and foreign scholars and ordinary citizens. I believe that the invention time and founder of kites will soon be thoroughly understood.