When was the kite invented?

The exact date and origin of the kite is not known but it is believed that they were flown in China more than 2,000 years ago. The earliest written account of kite flying was in about 200 BC when the Chinese general Han Hsin of the Han dynasty flew a kite over the walls of a city he was attacking to measure how far his army would have to tunnel to reach past the defences. Calculating this distance correctly, his troops reached the inside of the city, surprised their enemy, and were victorious. Kite flying was eventually spread by traders from China to Korea, and across Asia to India.