National Kite Champion in hangzhou

History leaves some records about the kite-making and kite flying in ancient Hangzhou. History also leaves us some poems that describe the beauty and charm of kite flying in ancient times. But history leaves no names of the masters who designed and made great kites. Today， fortunately， people in Hangzhou can proudly claim that the ancient city where kite-making and kite-flying started hundreds of years back boasts a national kite champion.

The national kite champion is Cheng Dishen. Some people remember him not for making a kite that charms jurors and spectators alike at national kite competitions， but for making his way back after minding buffalos for a day. That moment was captured in a photograph when he was fifteen years old， working as a herdsman in an orchard near Hangzhou. The picture is part of the history of the orchard.

But Cheng has made his reputation as a great kite maker. To be more accurate， he is the national champion for making gigantic dragon-shaped kites. But the first dragon kite he made was nothing to write home about. When he showed his primary art to an expert at the city’s sports committee， the kite authority laughed， saying it was not a dragon head， but resembled a ghost head. He showed Cheng how to make kites.

With the instructions of masters， Cheng Dishen succeeded in making dragon kites. In 1987， Cheng competed in a national kite contest in Weifang， Shandong. His double-dragon double-pearl kite won him a fifth placement at the national event. The kite measured about 80 metes long， changing people’s impression that kites were always small and light.

In northern China， the best known kites are imitations of birds such as swallows and eagles. But Cheng prefers dragons for a few reasons. A dragon kite can be huge and long and the dragon symbolizes the Chinese nation.

The traditional kite-making art is based on four skills: you must make a very good skeleton; you need to put a surface material on the structure in the best way; you need to paint a perfect image onto the kite; your kite must be flyable. To make a light structure， one usually uses bamboo or wood stripes; to cover the structure， one uses paper or silk， which is light in weight and easy to paint on. In modern days， some kite masters use glass-reinforced plastics and carbon fibers for structural purpose and nylon and parachute fabrics for the surface.

Cheng developed a passion for making kites as a child. Over decades he has studied the art thoroughly and developed unique techniques and processes to make various kinds of kites. His specialty is to make dragon kites， varying from 3 meters to 100 meters in length. Since his first national appearance in 1987， he has won various national championships. He won his first national championship in the super-size dragon category in 1994.

Cheng Dishen’s kites are characterized by lightness and hardness， beauty in shape and appearance， and vivid color.

At a temple affair in Hangzhou in October 2005， Cheng and his seven assistants successfully flew a 70-meter-long dragon kite composed of 108 sections. The dragon soared in the sky and spewed smoke from its mouth. Spectators cheered.

The success gave Cheng an even greater ambition. He wanted to make a really huge and long dragon kite. This time， he did not want to string separate sections together. He wanted to make a structure as thick as a small round table and as long as 100 to 200 meters. A few kite masters could make such a kite， but their finished product could hardly fly.

In order to make his huge dragon fly， Cheng tried to come up with a better design. He needed to reduce the weight but strengthen its wind resistance. Over a year， he conducted numerous experiments and tried out his ideas. Finally he made a kite that was light enough to fly in a breeze.

Before the 60th national day in 2009， he successfully flew the 200-meter dragon with the help of 30 people. The kite soared at the first try. Zhejiang Television covered the spectacular event and CCTV also reported the flying success.

Now， Cheng Dishen has moved to a new house in Chongfu Village， Liangzhu Town in a northern suburb of Hangzhou. The three-storied house has a total floor space of 400 plus square meters， large enough for the master to store his materials， display his semi-finished and finished kites， and work at his flying creations. Cheng runs a tight workload and works until midnight. He never minds the busy schedule， for he does what he loves and enjoys.□