Authors: Isabella L. Bird
Date Submitted: February 28, 2003
Article Type: Journal

“This afternoon has been fine and windy, and the boys have been flying kites, made of tough paper on a bamboo frame, all of a rectangular shape, some of them five feet square, and nearly all decorated with huge faces of historical heroes. Some of them have a humming arrangement made of whalebone. There was a very interesting contest between two great kites, and it brought out the whole population. The string of each kite, for 30 feet or more below the frame, was covered with pounded glass, made to adhere very closely by means of tenacious glue, and for two hours the kitefighters tried to get their kites into a proper position for sawing the adversary’s string in two. At last one was successful, and the severed kite became his property, upon which victor and vanquished exchanged three low bows. The people silently watched this exciting contest. The boys also flew their kites while walking on stilts——a most exciting performance, in which few were able to take part—–and then a larger number gave a stilt race. The most striking out-of-door games are played at fixed seasons of the year.”

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