It has been generally acknowledged that Chinese kites possess long history and are made out of superb skills. But it is also a fact that there is not much detailed material about Chinese kites especially concrete material on kite-making skills.

Legend had it that Survey Of Southern and Northern Kites by Cao Xueqin, the greatest novelist in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911A.D.), was a specialized book about skills of Chinese kites. But without the presence of the book and sufficient collateral evidence, it is still under debate whether the work had once existed or not, despite our subjective wish for its existence. Among the manuals about kites, Manual on Kite During Xuanhe Years by Huizong Emperor in the Song Dynasty (960---1279 A.D.) was one of the earliest but it is also a pity that the book was not handed down. Apart from that, some manuals kept by kite-making families and kite lovers have been found.

In spite of their limitations, the manuals have been considered as valuable material. Among them, The Manual on Kites by Jin Tie'an in 1930s was well worth mentioning, though it was published without illustrations probably due to less advanced printing and publishing conditions and lack of money.

Bamboo strip is a valuable material object for kite studies. The standard bamboo strips were generally passed on from one generation to another in the kite-making families, such as the bundle of bamboo strips kept by the "Fengzhengha" Family in Beijing. Showing the delicate size changes of each strip, the bamboo strips made up the disadvantages of the manuals in which there were only illustrations of kite or frame. Besides words, illustrations and objects, rhymes were another form for the folk craftsmen to pass on their skills. Rhymes made the skills more easily taught, learned as well as kept secret. But the little education that most craftsmen had received often resulted in loss, alternation and errors of the rhymes.

I do hope this book, which obtained reference from the above-mentioned insufficient cultural relics, set base on the extant traditional Chinese kites and conducted analysis according to the principles of the scientific techniques and air mechanics, would have the honor to offer a little reference for the spread and development of the skills of Chinese kites.

Due to my limitations, there may be mistakes in the book. Your valuable comments and advice will be greatly appreciated.

Four words are enough to sum up the skills of Chinese kites: frame-making, cover-stretching, painting and flying, which are a collection of nearly all the skills of traditional Chinese kites.

The procedure of frame-making consists of picking, splitting, bending, sharpening and connecting.

The procedure of cover-stretching consists of selecting, cutting, covering, trimming and correcting.

The procedure of painting consists of color, background, drawing, painting and refining.

The flexible application of the four skills as a whole is usually embodied in designing new kites of originality.