Primitive peoples attached religious meanings to kites. They viewed them as symbols of an external soul; as things closely connected with gods and heroes. They also felt that they were a means of contacting the heavenly regions. This is illustrated by the kite beliefs of the Polynesians. To them, they represented gods. And one hero of theirs is said to have gone to heaven in the form of a kite, singing a kite song in his upward journey.
Koreans marked their kites with such slogans as 'bad luck away, good luck stay.' Then they would let these fly away in the belief that the flier of the kite was now relieved of ill luck. No one who came across such a kite fallen to the ground would touch it, for fear that its former owner's misfortunes would befall him.
The Chinese have a holiday that falls in September that is called Kites' Day or The Festival of Ascending on High. Young and old scurry to breezy high places to fly their various-shaped kites. When they are done, they do not reel the kite in but let it go, string and all. They believe, like the Koreans, that sickness, evil and bad luck will be carried away with the kite.
Koreans marked their kites with such slogans as 'bad luck away, good luck stay.' Then they would let these fly away in the belief that the flier of the kite was now relieved of ill luck. No one who came across such a kite fallen to the ground would touch it, for fear that its former owner's misfortunes would befall him.
The Chinese have a holiday that falls in September that is called Kites' Day or The Festival of Ascending on High. Young and old scurry to breezy high places to fly their various-shaped kites. When they are done, they do not reel the kite in but let it go, string and all. They believe, like the Koreans, that sickness, evil and bad luck will be carried away with the kite.
