Who Invented the Kite?

Two Chinese philosophers, Mozi and Lu Pan, are the legendary inventors of the kite.

Lu Ban, according to tradition, built a wooden bird model which had the ability to stay aloft for up to three days. He lived during the fifth century BC, and this is the period during which kites were thought to be invented. His real name was Gongshu Ban, he was born in the Chinese state of Lu. In addition to being a master carpenter he was also a philosopher, military thinker, and statesman. Lu Ban was a contemporary of Mozi.

Mozi was a trained engineer and master craftsman who designed and built everything from mechanical birds to weapons of war. Later in his life he became a pacifist who went to great lenths to discourage Chinese rulers from warfare.

These two Chinese craftsmen are the lengendary inventors of the kite. There are records of kites being flown in 559 BC in China, so this could be true.

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