Show KITE FESTIVAL IN THE ORIENT Flyers Show the Love of Art Artand Artand and Decoration Character Characteristic Characteristic of China NOVEL BATTLES IN THE AIR WONDERFUL SPECIMENS ARE BROUGHT TO AM AMERICA ERICA 1 One or of the largest and most fantastic arrays of kItes ever to reach thIs noun coun 1 iry ry Is now at the American Museum of Natural says the New York TImes It forms one ot of the leading fea lures of a nw and extensive Chinese collectiOn obtained by the well known explorer and traveler Dr Ber Berthold timid Laufer Lauer Through the generosity ot of Jacob II 11 this collection has be beme ome me part of t the institution It Is de designed signed to Illustrate the ancient arts rafts and IndustrIes of the empire as aswell aswelL well as the present artistic culture everyday life ure and popular of the people These surprising and extraordInary kites are not yet et all displayed but In the new west wing now built there Is to be a sPecial Chinese hall hail where they are to be ef effectively exhibited A Times man how however ever Eyer obtained ot of some pt pf th the most Important an and picturesque of at th the kites together with some interesting Information In regard to them They Thoy were all secured In Pekin from a cele and consist of about different sizes designs and shapes They rhey rOut from c ntH for the smallest up to 0 10 for the largest and highly decor decorated decorated oles In kite making China Is far ahead of the ret rest ot of the world and In L this particular sport she has no rival among the most progressive nations ot of l the ll In vIvid contrast to the trude and unadorned productions ot of with Its ts tall tail of rags are arc the attractive and paint painted ed of the Chinese The kites are wonderful In Int t their wa way and portray portra a great deal of ingenuity e especially the love ot of art and which runs through the whole life ife ot the Chinese People from their highest creations to the most common commonplace commonplace place object of amusement The frame of the kite is of light bamboo covered with rice paper upon which is painted 1 in brilliant hues the many human por portrait portrait trait figures and the various animal anima crea creatures creatures tures The plain and simple shaped kite of the Yankee boy is put to blush In comparison with the unique and gorgeous colored creations of the Chinese In China hina kite flying Is a national pastime and Is one of the leading outdoor diver lons Jons ot of the sons Ions or of both mandarins and nobles as al well weil as the lower and middle lasses They are flown on certain holl holi holidays days one of the most popular being the Festival ot of Ascending on High oc occurring occurring on the ninth day ay of the ninth On Oil this Ut hills hUls and country are covered with great pro ot of kite flyers both old and young oung who devote devoto the whole day to this pot The kites are manipulated by loll coil of strong cord wound over a reel iTt In some oooo people assemble 4 thC lulls hills annually during the kite festivals to watch and join In this highly popular amusement The great variety of the flitting CUtting forms thousands or more cause ause a marvelous spectacle In the air a sort of panorama of the of the world The uni use of the kite Is not looked upon ts s a form of amusement alone but has hasa a sort of religious Interest connected with nas it s each particular kite has its mean meaning ing and conveys some emblematic Idea story or legend Is suggested and some f RIOUS god or warriors face ma may be The likenesses of various ani animals mals and the Insects more or less b to be creatures ot of good luck rath rather to er r than evil such as fro frogs s fishes fire owls hawks gigantic l centipedes bats mythological beings women etc form the designs of f the most of them One of the novel and In ingenious t types pes III i that of the musical kite This has hasa I Ia a bow bov of oC bamboo with a silk string faa tas to the top In flying the wind strikes the string and plays upon It like an aeolian harp burp producing a pleasing and 1 ud tone One ot of the musical kites ac lording to Chinese military traditions was once employed most effectively as a deco A Chinese general at war against an n Invading force sent up ono one of these kites with lighted lanterns at cached It soared over the camp of the enemy nem who hearing the strange music the object was alive Imme all the arrows were shot at the mysterious shApe In the air After the soldiers had wasted their ammunition the Chinese general charged upon them and they were easily put to rout A great number of the kites are arc con constructed to represent theatrical scenes find favorite heroes of ancient and moll mod modera era pru dramas In most cases excepting those of the women the faces are cow cov cowered red ered with long lone bearded grotesque masks Probably the most wonderful and In of a Chinese kite maker Is tl to represent a gigantic centipede This Is unquestionably the longest and most fantastic amusement de deIce device vice Ice that has ever been constructed for aerial flight From head to taU taIl It me meures mess ures nearly forty feet and Is made to fold up accordion like As will be seen the fierce large head ot of the creature with long protruding horns huge eyes eye and gaping mouth forms the front ot of the kite This IS the gem and marvel of the whole collection and entirely new to the tho eyes or of the western world Two views or of this showing a near glimpse of at the head and the kite stretched out at full length are shown The construction ot of this kite I Is as fo fol lows Extending from head to tall tail and constituting the body portion are arc a series ot of bamboo sticks running crosswise to the center to which are fastened twenty five fire or more pasteboard disks a foot or more In diameter These are painted In circles ot of black yellow and ad white repreSenting Renting the eyes of the my tho logical creature A tall portion of narrow trips strips Is arranged to the last pIece of oC bamboo B By a mechanical contrivance the curved pIeces of pasteboard forming the eyes are made to revolve by the wind while the tha kite Is being flown Seen In the theall theair all air with Its motion Its huge glaring eyes swiftly twirling In their sockets the effect is III said to be astonish realistic producing quite an awe inspiring scene to the Chinese mind at least While being flown a cord Is at attached attached to three or more points of Its length In order to keep It under control In a strong strone wind several men are re rc required to hold the reel UndoubtedlY we ve have here one of the first and most an ancient dent patterns or of flying machines thou thousands thousands sands or of years ears old Many Ian of the kites are flown without tails though a number have lighted can dIes and lanterns attached These are flown at night and produce a weird and spectacular sight One ot of the peculiar types Is the fighting kite This Is about live feet teet long lone and cross shaped the ends terminating In sharp points For this aerial warfare silk cords or strings are used whIch have been dipped their en tire length In fish glue and anda a preparation of powdered glass Class or porcelain The kites are sent up and the moment the strings are crossed the battle begins When hen half halfa a dozen or more become entangled the sport sometimes lasts nearly a da day Mon Money Moncy ey cy Is frequently on the result and special matches are arc arranged by ex cx perth In kite fighting On the or of the first month It Is cus I tomary to write In Chinese characters on kites a wish to the effect that the years misfortunes may be carried awa away with thorn them Mothers write It for tor theIr children with their names and dates of o birth The letters are placed along alone the bamboo frame so that they may not be seen b by anyone anone who might be tempted to pick the kite up Boys tie a piece or ol sUlphur paPer to the string of such a kite which they light before sending up so that when the kite goes up In the theair theair air the string will burn through and the thc kite fall No one will ever eer touch a lost kite Kites are said to have been known In China as earl early as the third century B C being used first for military sig signals mile nals From China they were introduced Into Europe at the end of the seventeenth century |