Lu Songshan makes a banyao kite at his studio. [Photo/Rugao Daily]

Rugao in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu province, is the birthplace of banyao kites, which can be traced back to the Tang (618-907) and Song dynasties (960-1279).

Banyao kites are large and flat whistling kites with hexagonal frames adorned with exquisite decorations and vibrant colors. In 2006, banyao kite making techniques in Nantong were listed as a national intangible cultural heritage item.

Banyao kites are unique in that they make a melodious sound when high up in the sky.

Kites are on display at the Songshan Kite Art Museum in Rugao. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

The Songshan Kite Art Museum in Rugao, which was established by Lu Songshan, an inheritor of banyao kite making, displays all kinds of kites, including banyao kites.

The museum's largest banyao kite stands nearly four meters high, occupying one whole wall of the museum, and comes with hundreds of whistles, with the largest being nearly 0.5 meters in diameter and the smallest being 1 centimeter.

Materials for whistles on banyao kites. [Photo/Nantong Daily]

The sound from the whistles is believed to be able to expel evil spirits.

It is quite time-consuming to make a banyao kite, as it usually takes two hours to carve a small whistle. In addition, the kite paper needs to be cut and painted by hand, and making the framework also requires patience and skill.

Therefore, even an experienced kite maker usually spends more than a month making a banyao kite.

With vigorous promotion from local authorities, banyao kite culture has been rejuvenated in Rugao in recent years.

"I was born in the 1970s and am very interested in banyao kites," said Lu Zhaoming, one of the new-generation inheritors of banyao kite making.

While learning traditional techniques, Lu has also made some improvements to banyao kites. He cuts the tail from the kite to make them fly more steadily and safely.

Another young man from Spain said that he became interested in the banyao kite and spent three years learning how to make them. He now can make a banyao kite completely by himself.

To familiarize more children with banyao kites, Lu has been invited to open a kite club to teach children how to make banyao kites and fly kites with them.