Hue kites - High-flying culture

Hue ancient city had been the convergence of many pastimes such as making poems, playing cards in huts, and listening to Hue folk music. However, these entertaining activities just bring fun to joiners. Meanwhile, flying kites make everyone happy. People who fly a kite become a server meeting the happiness and admiration of onlookers. Hue kites came into being for hundreds years ago. They have been a featured Hue culture. Flying a kite is one of the most long-lasting recreational activities in Hue, attracting a large number of participants from children to the old people. It is not clear about the exact time when kites were born. It is said that, flying a kite was a game of children in countryside, and then the game spread and became popular in Hue royal citadel. For a long time ago, the royal class in Hue used to hold kite festivals in some big events. Since then, kites became more colorful and diverse in shapes. These kites are made of various materials by skillful artisans. The visual and performance art reached a high level.

To make a kite flying high, artisans must have a skillful, ingenuous and talent technique. The process of making a kite undergoes several steps from choosing bamboo to make frame of kites to decorate them. Each kite is an artwork which is the combination of many factors such as art, architecture, aerodynamics, and folk experience. Artisans do not fly a kite and let them free in the sky, they will control to create a lively and flexible kite depending on its theme. Hue kites are characterized by different beautiful shapes such as butterfly, phoenix, dragon, frog, horse… and harmonic colors. Each kite has its own beauty, size and visual art. The most interesting thing of Hue kites is the performing art. Kites’ performances are seen as on-air puppetry art in Vietnam. Hue kites do honor Vietnamese kites at domestic and international kite festivals in Vietnam. In 1992, in the framework of Vietnam – France cultural festival, Vietnamese artisans were firstly invited to France to perform flying kites, which attracted all onlookers.

In Vietnam tours to Hue, travelers not just have a chance to visit majestic Hue royal citadel, enjoy court cuisine, and court music, but also have an opportunity to explore Hue culture through vivid kites. Recently, there are Hue tours to explore kites. The exploring kite tours in Hue lasts about one hour. Travelers will be introduced by artisans with basic stages to make a kite. Travelers can join some of stages in the process, which brings an interesting feeling to them. Also, in this tour, travelers will have a chance to explore the history of kite art in Hue. Kite is an artwork, and artisans are architects and artists who ensure all kites to fly high. Many travelers coming to Hue are interested in Hue kites. They learn to make kites and bring them home as unique souvenirs. Flying kite becomes an appealing cultural sport. At present, there are many craft villages in Hue making kites, which are attractive and featured tourism services. In Vietnam travel, tourists will have chances to explore not only puppetry, water puppetry, but also air puppetry. Let’s come to Hue in summer to enjoy a flying kite performance in front of Ngo Mon Square or on beaches in Hue to feel the beauty of Hue kites.