17 April 2008

Kite-Flying Contest Part of U.S.-China Friendship Series

Smithsonian Institution program tied to 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing

 

Sun Jie-hua, a kite master from China, won three awards at the Smithsonian Kite Festival for his dragon kite. (State Dept./Wenhan Xue)

Sun Jie-hua, a kite master from China, won three awards at the Smithsonian Kite Festival for his dragon kite. (State Dept./Wenhan Xue)

By Eric Green
Staff Writer

Washington -- The art and history of Chinese kites were showcased in the Smithsonian Institution’s 42nd annual kite festival on Washington’s National Mall March 29.

The festival was tied to the 2008 Olympic Games to be held in Beijing August 8-24, Christine Cimino, the Smithsonian Associates director of public affairs told America.gov. Smithsonian Associates is the cultural, educational and membership division of the Smithsonian Institution.

Smithsonian Associates is sponsoring a series of events with the theme of U.S.-China friendship to show the many facets of life in China. The series, called “China: An Incomparable Journey” and running until late June, will include more than 20 educational and cultural programs on Chinese arts, history, cuisine and culture.

The series includes a May 8 preview of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, called “Inside the Rings.” The Smithsonian said 202 nations are sending 10,708 athletes to compete in 302 events at the Olympics.

Barbara Tuceling, director of the Smithsonian Associates, said in a statement that the program will give audiences a better understanding of China, a country that she said is moving “toward the forefront of international influence.”

 

The Smithsonian Kite Festival is held each year on the Washington National Mall.(© Jeff Tinsley, Smithsonian Institution)

The Smithsonian Kite Festival is held each year on the Washington National Mall.(© Jeff Tinsley, Smithsonian Institution)

Zhou Wenzhong, China’s ambassador to the United States, said that “celebrations such as these enrich our peoples, create better understanding and contribute to enhancing the more than 200 years of friendship between China and the United States.”

The kite festival, named “Brushstrokes in the Sky,” included demonstrations by Chinese kite masters and exhibitions of authentic Chinese kites.

The festival, viewed by thousands on the Mall, was founded in 1967 by U.S. aviation pioneer Paul Garber. The festival featured a handmade kite competition in which awards were given in categories for children, adults and master kite-makers. The kites were judged on design, appearance, construction and performance.

The Smithsonian says kites first were introduced by the Chinese more than 2,000 years ago, and have continued to play an important role in China ever since. The Chinese first used their kites in military affairs for estimating distances and carrying propaganda leaflets, but their influence gradually spread to Western countries to become what the Smithsonian calls a “familiar artistic and cultural icon.”

American inventors Orville and Wilbur Wright used kites to test aerodynamic theories before they made the first successful motor-powered airplane flight in December 1903 at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

Information about the series on China is available on the Smithsonian Associates Web site.

See “Olympic Games Are World’s Biggest Magnet for Publicizing Causes.”