History of Chinese Fireworks
China is an ancient civilization, which has been credited for inventing many things. The country has a rich culture and tradition that has a lot to offer people. It is estimated that the China's civilization began more than 5,000 years ago when the first village was established here. Initially, the region was controlled by warlords, who fought one another for supremacy. However, once the Qin dynasty was established in 221 BC, the entire region united and became a force to reckon with, something that is true even today. |
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There are many inventions that came from China. Things, such as paper, silk, printing, umbrellas, kites, porcelain and abacus are all inventions that came to China. However, there is one more invention that came from China and that is gunpowder. Chinese used gunpowder to make weapons and defeat their enemies. They also used the gunpowder to make firecrackers, which were used for all special occasions and celebrations. Today, it is impossible to think of 4th July without a firework display and we all owe this to China and the people of this great nation.
There is a story how Chinese fireworks came into being. It is claimed that a chef working for the Chinese army mixed three kitchen ingredients, namely saltpeter, sulfur and charcoal and by mistake, the chef dropped the mixture into fire. He noticed that the fire turned a different color. This got the chef all excited, so he tried to experiment with the mixture by trying to burn it after putting it into a bamboo shoot. Instead of a colorful flame, the chef was greeted by a huge explosion and this gave rise to fireworks in ancient China. The Chinese called this mixture huo yao, which means fire chemical when translated into English.
After the invention of firework, the Chinese just used firecrackers for fun. However, due to the loud noise that the fireworks made, people started believing that the fireworks had the ability to ward of evil spirits and demons. And hence, the ancient Chinese began using fireworks during wedding, victory celebrations and as a part of religious festivities.
Another legend claims that the history of Chinese fireworks began when the ancient Chinese wanted to become immortals and spent a lot of time trying to find the secret of immortality. This led to establishment of a branch of chemistry known as alchemy. Alchemists would try to find magical medicine for longevity or turn sand into gold. Some alchemists also present Emperor Jing with the so-called elixir of life. These alchemists were looked favorably upon during the Sui and Tang dynasties, but were no longer revered during the Song dynasty. But the alchemist continued persevering to find the elixir to life and it was during these experiments that they invented many things, such as compass, printing ink, paper and gunpowder.
Another legend about the history of Chinese fireworks claims that Li Tian, a monk from the Hunan province, was responsible for inventing Chinese fireworks. The Chinese pay homage to this monk by offering sacrifices and this day of celebration is April 18. According to the legend, Li Tian managed to frighten away a ghost of an evil dragon that was persistently haunting Emperor Li Shiming of the Tang Dynasty. He filled gunpowder in a bamboo tube and lit it. The loud bang from the tube was sufficient to drive the ghost away. Li Tian was from the region of Liu Yang and even today this region is the main producer of fireworks in China.
Similarly, there are many legends and stories that narrate the invention of Chinese fireworks. It is fun and interesting to read these legends and stories. It goes without saying that fireworks are a Chinese invention. However, it is difficult to say how the Chinese invented it. The art of Chinese fireworks spread to the Arab world in the 13th, where they called it China Snow, and to Europe because of Marco Polo.
More Articles :
Buzzle: Ancient Chinese Fireworks Invention History
http://www.buzzle.com/articles/ancient-chinese-fireworks-invention-history.html
Think Quest: The History Of Pyrotechnics
http://library.thinkquest.org/15384/history/index.htm
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