Buying a Kite

　　When looking for a good kite for a reasonable price, it's important to keep in mind both the type of kite you're looking at as well as its origins. If you just want to try it out, manufactured kites are always cheaper than handmade ones. Mass-produced butterflies, dragonflies and swallows can be had for under 50 yuan, depending on their size. In this case, you get what you pay for: Cheaply-made kites, assembled with plastic parts, can break or tear easily in stronger wind. However, not only are handmade kites pricier, the value of the kite can change drastically based on the quality of the construction and the skill of the artist. Expect to pay at least 200 yuan for the most basic, handmade soft-wing kites, while well-made, hard-wing swallows and eagles can cost upwards of 800 yuan. The intricate and complicated dragon kites will set you back at least 1000 yuan - though prices can go as high as 10,000 yuan.

　　Legends of Flight

　　Throughout ancient Chinese history, there are legends and stories about early kites and the roles they played in shaping major events.

　　At the turn of the second century B.C., the kingdoms of Han and Chu were locked in battle for control of the empire. A Chu fort was surrounded on all sides by the Han army. Han general Zhang Liang built a massive silk kite, placed upon it a child and his flute, and launched the kite from the shadow of a nearby mountain. As the kite hovered above the forces, the child played music known to all from the kingdom of Chu, while the advancing Han army sang along. The Chu forces, homesick and dejected, dissolved without a fight. The Han Dynasty was founded soon afterwards.

　　About 700 years later, Emperor Qi Wenxuan found a new use for the kite. Around the year 560, the emperor erected a tall platform in the center of the city. He had a large kite constructed and forced prisoners, begging for their lives, to sit atop the kite and be launched from the platform. If a prisoner managed to fly beyond the walls of the city, he would be set free. While it is unknown how many lives were sacrificed for the entertainment of the emperor and his court, there is the account of a prisoner named Huang Tou who, after he managed to float beyond the city walls, was re-captured shortly and starved to death in prison.