Kite shop in Beijing continues to fly high after 100 years

Source: Chinadaily  2018-10-17

A kite on display at the century-old kite shop in Beijing, Oct 13, 2018. [Photo/IC]

There is a century-old kite store at the Di'anmen West Avenue in Beijing, the only existing royal kite store in the capital. The owner is Liu Bin, who is the fourth generation inheritor of Sanshizhai kite.

Sanshizhai kite, originally an entertainment item for the ancient nobles, has a history of hundreds of years, and it sustains the traditional way of making royal kite. From the framework to paste painting, it is all handmade. First, fine-quality moso bamboo is selected to dry in the shade for three years before being used to make kite. The workmanship is also quite exquisite and the pattern design on the kite contains rich cultural connotations.

Sanshizhai kite, featuring a major representative of Beijing kite, has been listed as a national intangible cultural heritage item.