Weifang

Weifang is a prefecture-level city in central Shandong Province of China. It borders Dongying to the northwest, Zibo to the west, Linyi to the southwest, Rizhao to the south, Qingdao to the east, and looks out to the Laizhou Bay to the north.

History
Weifang is a historical city with well known figures. Emperor Shun of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors period, the politician Yan Ying of the Spring and Autumn Period, the Confucian scholar Zheng Xuan of the Eastern Han Dynasty and the agriculturist Jia Simiao of the Northern Wei Dynasty were all from Weifang. Kong Rong, Fan Zhongyan, Ouyang Xiu, Su Dongpo, Zheng Banqiao, et al. have worked in Weifang historically. In more recent years, revolutionists, literateurs and artists, such as Wang Jinmei, Chen Shaomin, Wang Yuanjian, Wang Tongzhao, Zang Kejia are well known in Chin. Weifang also boasts of historical relics and other tourist sites, such as Shihu Garden (from the Late Ming and early Qing Dynasty), Fangong Pavilion (from the Song Dynasty), fossile sites (including dinosaur fossils, in Shanwang, Linqu), Mount Yi National Forest Park, Mount Qingyun and the Old Dragon Spring. Weifang is the world capital of kites. The woodcut new year's paintings from Yangjiabu are well known.

Culture
Kite-flying is a traditional custom among the people in Weifang in spring time. The outstanding kite handicraft skills and the special atmosphere in Weifang is quite suitable for flying kites, making Weifang Kites more and more popular in China and abroad.

In 1984, the first International Kite Festival was held in Weifang. More than ten thousand kite fans attended the opening ceremony. People from eleven different countries and regions, including the United States and Canada, took part in the festival, flying kites. Since then, Weifang has held the International Kite Festival every year in April and is known as the "International Kite Capital" worldwide.

Annual Broad of Yangjiabu, one of the three most famous Chinese folk paintings in history, began from the end of the Ming Dynasty. It reached the peak of its development during the Qing Dynasty. People usually replace the old Annual Broads with the new ones on the eve of Spring Festival, which is the most important festival in China, in order to give blessings to the family and friends for the following year. The subjects of Annual Broad of Yangjiabu are various, which include flowers, beauties, landscapes, characters from myths and legends. The architecture skills such as concise lines and bright colors reflect the distinctive characteristics of people in Weifang.

Paper cutting in Gaomi has a long history for more than four hundred years. This widely spread handicraft has unique styles, such as strong contrast in color, straight and simple line and exaggerated outline. The characters mostly come from the dramatic stories, flowers and birds, as well as some fantastic symbols.