On a good summer day in taiwan, when perhaps a light breeze springs up, a visitor may be startled to see strange-looking objects flying overhead -- forty-foot long (13 meters) centipedes, colourful giant butterflies, and even a fierce-looking dragon with a wingspan a yard (metre) wide. Beneath the objects, intent and completely occupied with the not-so-serious job of controlling their kites, are the Chinese men and women of Taiwan.

The people of Taiwan claim that kite-flying was their invention 2,000 years ago. In those ancient days engineers used kites to estimate the apex of a bridge during construction, farmers used them to scare crows, and others used them merely as playthings -- as they do today.

Most of the kites in Taiwan are the creations of "Butterfly" Chang, the kite king of the country, who designs and produces 10,000 kites a month. He use rag paper, white cotton cloth and rayon. On Friday (2 July) Chang produced his latest masterpiece -- the centipede. This official film from the Chinese Information Service shows its maiden flight and the reaction from Taiwan's critical audience of kite-watching professionals.