Kite-making skills of the Mao family
The Mao-style kite-making originated from the Mao Zuyun clan, a salt farmer on the outer beach of Zhelin. Mao Zuyun's ancestral home is Daishan Island in Zhejiang Province, and his ancestors made a living in the salt industry. The sun is the "sky lantern" in the hearts of salt farmers, and it is the "blessing" bestowed by the Bodhisattva. During the Qingming Festival, salt farmers pray for the Bodhisattva's blessing and the ancestors' spirits, and kowtow to heaven and earth to express their gratitude. This worship ceremony seeking spiritual support has given birth to a unique folk custom. The Mao family's kite-making has been passed down to the fourth generation Mao Xueguan, whose kite-making skills are second to none among the salt farmers on the outer beach of Zhelin. He has loved flying kites since he was a child, and at the age of 10, he followed his ancestors and fathers to make and fly kites. In the 1970s, Mao Xueguan had already developed the skills of making kites, and he made great improvements and improvements in the traditional kite-making methods inherited from his predecessors. In the late 1980s, Shanghai included kite flying activities in the sports competition items and introduced them into schools. Since then, Mao Xueguan's kite making has had a greater space for development. His kite making skills have been introduced to many schools in Fengxian and Jinshan for teaching. In the process of flying kites, Mao Xueguan has expanded the market for kite making and teaching skills. In order to seek refinement and innovation in kite making skills, Mao Xueguan made precise and effective process improvements in the traditional kite making methods to ensure that the central skeleton also highlights the process advantages of easy, high and stable when bearing wind pressure impact. In the innovation of the giant dragon kite, Mao Xueguan's hole-opening decompression wind window skills are exquisite and ingenious. His skills in fine cutting, pressure resistance, impact resistance, and balance on both sides of the center point are superb. The meticulous brushwork method depicts realistic images, and the homemade secret glue is extremely strong, all of which show the exquisite, delicate and realistic characteristics of Mao's kite making. (No pictures yet, welcome to provide.) (No pictures yet, welcome to provide.)