A kite runner in Xi'an

Zhang Tianwei and his kite depicting Zhu Bajie (a pig monk in The Journey to the West) eating watermelon. [Photo/cri.cn]

Zhang Tianwei, a transmitter of intangible cultural heritage in Xi’an, has devoted himself to kite making for 30 years.

In 1952, 11-year-old Zhang was bewitched by a story about special kites that have dynamic bodies. Unlike the traditional kites, these dynamic ones have three dimensions and can change their shapes in the sky. Zhang was determined to make such kites when he had a chance.

His kite in a shape of a three-dimensional green lantern won the first national prize in 1986, marking the official start of his journey in kite making.

One of his masterpieces depicts the terracotta warriors, which has a length of 40 meters.