Tianjin kites

Last updated 2026-11-15 — A treasured folk art of Tianjin, Tianjin kites are known as one of the “Four Great Arts of Tianjin” alongside the clay sculptures of Zhang, Yangliuqing New Year paintings, and Tianjin carpets. With over a hundred years of history, they are made from high-quality silk, pure paper, and fine bamboo. Using contrasting warm and cool colors in their painting technique, these kites are exquisitely crafted, lifelike in shape, and fly steadily. The craft also developed more than 200 varieties such as flat, bow, string, and miniature kites. In 1914, they won a gold medal at the Panama–Pacific International Exposition and earned the reputation of “Kite Wei.” The “Dunhuang” brand kites, produced by Tianjin arts and crafts workshops continuing the tradition of Wei Yuantai, received the highest national award—a silver cup—at the 1914 National Hundred Flowers Awards for kites. Today, Tianjin kites come in a wide range of types, with the largest stretching over a hundred meters and the smallest small enough to fit into an envelope. All are foldable for easy travel, suitable for flying high in the sky or for indoor display.