Yang Hongwei（杨红卫）is a popular kite maker in Weifang（潍坊）. When she was a baby, she always stayed in her grandfather’s workshop（作坊）, seeing her grandfather’s make kites. Yang learned to make kites from her grandfather when she was 16. She started her shop in 1992. “Many places around the world have a game of flying kites,” Yang said. “But I think the Chinese idea behind our kites is special.” Once Yang made a kite with a phoenix（凤凰）. On each side of the phoenix were 50 women from Chinese history. Each woman isn’t the same in look and clothes. In her free time, she travels to places such as the UK, Russia, the US, Canada, India and South Africa. She tells the stories of Chinese kites and the ways they are made. She hopes people can have interest in kites.

Every year there is the Spring Festival in China. Usually it is in January or February. It’s the most important festival in China. So before it comes, everyone has to prepare things. They buy beef, pork, chicken, fruit and many other things. And they often make a special kind of food called “dumpling”. It means “come together” in Chinese. On the day before the festival, parents buy new clothes for their children and children also buy presents for their parents. On the festival eve, all the family members (成员) come back to their home. This is a happy moment. They sing, dance and play cards. When they enjoy the meal, they give each other the best wishes for the coming year. They all have a good time.

Some birthday customs(习俗) are quite the same in many parts of the world—birthday candles, birthday games and birthday cakes. But some customs are more special to some countries. In China, many people eat long noodles and eggs on their birthday. They are a symbol of long life and good luck. Here are three pen pals of Li Wei talking about their customs.

Linda:   I am 14 years old. I come from Aruba. In our country, children take something special to school for their classmates and teachers. Each teacher gives the birthday child a small gift like a pencil, an eraser or a postcard. The birthday child can wear special clothes, so he or she doesn’t have to wear the school uniform.

Lucy:   I am one year older than Linda. Denmark is my country. A flying flag outside a window shows that someone who lives in that house is having a birthday. Parents put the gifts around children’s beds when they are sleeping so they will see them at once when they wake up.

Tom:   I am as old as Linda. I am from Brazil. The birthday child gets a pull(拉，扯) on the earlobe(耳垂) for each year in my country. The birthday person also gives the first piece of cake to his and her most special friend or relative, usually Mom or Dad.