Kite Master

With support from the Center for Chinese Studies, A&D faculty members Anne Mondro and Matt Shlian spent the month of June in Beijing working with Ha Yiqi, one of China’s most distinguished and skilled kite artisans. 

We came to Beijing, a city that thrives on its mass produced goods, to seek out a true master of craft and tradition. Master Ha Yiqui is a fourth generation kite maker and the main reason we came to China: To study and learn how to create traditional Chinese kites from one of the country’s most distinguished and skilled artisans.
Here in Beijing we become his students, watching him closely as he carves and splits the bamboo to make the boning of the kite. Our first lesson, a simple frame composed of four pieces of bamboo, takes us three hours to make. Each piece of bamboo must be level, not to thin, not to thick. We split and scrap down our bamboo over and over again. Finally a thumbs up and a ​“good” from Master Ha.

- Anne Mondro

Read more about Anne and Matt’s experiences in a series of blog posts on the Center for Chinese Studies blog. 

The Center for Chinese Studies has also announced the 
New Millennium Kite Festival, a one-day jubilee with community competition, master kite fly-offs, lion dancing and kite-building workshops. The event, inspired by the traditional Asian craft of kite flying (feng zheng), will take place on September 25, 2011 at the Arboretum.