Although the history of kites has been debated, there is evidence of kite flying in China from more than 2000 years ago! There is one Chinese legend that suggests that a peasant's straw hat flew off his head, but followed him in the air (attach) to a thread from his clothing-perhaps the first (inspire) for kites?
It is also said General Han Hsin flew a kite for the walls of a city he was attacking, to measure the tunnel his troops needed to build. Kite flying spread by traders from China to Korea and then to India. Monks used bamboo and silk kites for (religion) and ceremonial purposes, sending messages and prayers to the spirit world.
In 1295, Marco Polo （document) their construction and how to fly kites, and interest spread for hundreds of years. During the (eighteen) century, kites started to be used in field of science.
Nowadays, kite flying festivals (hold) around the world. In Asia, there are often "kite fights", participants attempt to cut their competitor's kites down. In Indonesia, India, Vietnam and China, kite flying is sport and recreation. In other countries, kite flying is children's play like during the New Year holidays.
