WUHAN, China, Oct. 13, 2025 — The World Kite Cup Mulan Wuhan 2025 and National Sports Kite Championship recently took place at Mulan Grassland in Huangpi District, central China’s Wuhan City. Celia Judith del Rosario Esquivel Salguero, a video blogger from Guatemala, attended the event, capturing and sharing the vibrant highlights of this Chinese cultural spectacle.
Experiencing it directly, Celia guided her viewers through the captivating world of Chinese kite craftsmanship—a revered intangible cultural heritage—and the enduring Mulan culture.
The World Kite Cup, with the Huangpi District Government as one of its organizers, attracted 50 elite athletes from more than 20 countries and regions worldwide. The competition featured various events such as sports kite sequence races, 4-line individual, duo, and team ballet, 2-line team ballet, and compulsory movement challenges. Concurrently, the National Sports Kite Championship saw intense competition among approximately 120 athletes from 30 domestic teams across 7 categories.
At the venue, ten invited domestic teams, known for their large-scale soft kites, presented a spectacular display. Their exhibition included pendant kites, massive “rolling dragon” kites, and diverse creatively designed soft-shaped kites. After sunset, a luminous kite team illuminated the night sky above Mulan Grassland with their distinctive LED-equipped kites, creating a vibrant spectacle.
“The Chinese team demonstrates incredible creativity; they’ve animated kites in countless shapes and forms. These kites represent not only their skill but also their patriotism,” Celia expressed during her tour.
Numerous kites aloft were rich with Chinese cultural symbolism, depicting figures such as giant pandas, the Calabash Brothers, Ne Zha, and even Chinese astronauts.
Two specific kites garnered significant attention: one depicted the ancient tale of brotherhood, “Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei’s Oath in the Peach Garden,” embellished with 108 Sichuan opera masks; the second was an intricate Chinese dragon-headed centipede kite, weighing only 400 grams and requiring more than two months to construct.
International judge Nilza Tessa-Gambassi remarked, “Having competed alongside European teams, I am genuinely astonished by the caliber of Chinese kite craftsmanship. It is an immense privilege to pursue my kite-flying passion in China, a nation so profoundly steeped in kite culture.”
At the kite intangible cultural heritage workshop, Celia discovered that “the dragon symbolizes good fortune in Chinese culture.” Guided by Yang Hongwei, a national inheritor of Weifang kite craftsmanship, she successfully put together a series of kite dragon heads.
Yang elaborated that the exhibited kites comprised bamboo frames affixed to silk surfaces, adorned with traditional New Year painting themes: illustrations of flora, fauna, and propitious beings, alongside iconic scenes such as “Annual Surplus” (a homophone representing prosperity) and “Liu Hai Teases the Golden Toad” (a classic narrative linked to good fortune).
Celia also showed keen interest in the Mulan narrative. Guided by Cai Jingwen, the principal actor in the extensive live-action Mulan performance, she rode a horse, embodying Mulan’s valiant spirit as if going into combat.
This live-action spectacle vividly recounts Mulan’s legendary tale of enlisting in the army in her father’s stead, utilizing recreated ancient battlefields, siege engines, pyrotechnic effects, and remarkable horsemanship.
A Moroccan-themed resort hotel, situated at the edge of the grassland and sand dunes, provides a distinctive experience for international athletes with its design incorporating baobab trees, cacti, and sandstone features. Celia praised the event and issued an open invitation: “Wuhan has transformed this kite festival into a cultural festivity, allowing the entire world to witness the exquisite beauty of Chinese kites. Visit Wuhan, enjoy the kite festival, and personally immerse yourself in the city’s enchantment.”
Mulan Grassland in Huangpi District, Wuhan, renowned globally as a scenic attraction embodying authentic Chinese Mulan character, has continuously hosted major international events such as the “National Hot Air Balloon Elite Challenge” and the “International Kite Invitational Tournament” for nine years. Currently, it serves as a vital hub for showcasing traditional Chinese culture and sports tourism globally.
Source: Government of Huangpi District, Wuhan
CONTACT: Contact for media only: Contact person: Mr. Wang, Tel: 86-10-63074558
