'Hometown of fireworks' lights up the sky

To celebrate the arrival of 2024, Li Chao traveled from Shanghai to Liuyang, Hunan province, to watch a fireworks display.

Liuyang is known as the "hometown of fireworks", but the 23-year-old was unable to obtain a ticket to see a fireworks show at Sky Theatre, because they had sold out.

She and her friends, along with people from across China, settled on watching the display, which was also livestreamed, from an open playground.

To witness the pyrotechnic delights on Dec 31, more than 160,000 people traveled to Liuyang, which boasts a population of 1.4 million and is situated about 70 kilometers from Changsha, the capital of Hunan.

Li said: "I had never seen anything like these fireworks before. The evening was romantic, mesmerizing and festive. More important, after three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone in the large crowd was ready to celebrate."

She added that the fireworks were like stars shimmering against the dark canvas of the night sky.

After watching the display, which lasted more than an hour, Li said that the fireworks show she had seen at Shanghai Disney Resort seemed small in comparison.

The entire event on New Year's Eve lasted more than four hours, but Li and her friends returned to their hotel early to avoid traffic.

Wang Biao, head of Sky Theatre, said the show was livestreamed on short video platforms — trending on Douyin and Kuaishou — two of the largest such platforms in China, with more than 600 million views.

The theatre is located alongside the Liuyang River, with the stage for the display set against a backdrop of mountains.

Wang said the show featured a combination of water, mountains and fireworks, as well as a dance performance, adding that such displays can also be staged at other tourist sites or amusement parks.

A total of 50 fireworks shows were livestreamed at the theater last year during weekends and festivals, and people now know that such displays are held in Liuyang on Saturday nights, Wang said.

"People come to the city because it is the hometown of fireworks and showcases their aesthetic appeal," he said.

Wang said the theater can seat about 10,000, so for occasions such as New Year's Eve, spectators need to be creative in finding locations to watch the fireworks, such as from rooftops or balconies of apartment buildings near the theater.

Villagers set up small lounge chairs in hills near the theater, charging 100 yuan ($14) for each seat, he added.

Yi Xin, who also works at the theater, said rehearsals are staged for the fireworks shows to ensure they are eye-catching.

Nearly 80 percent of audiences at the theater are younger than 50, and most of them are either in the 21-30 age bracket, or married couples aged 31 to 40, who also bring their children or parents to watch the shows, he said.

Yi added that the displays are happy occasions at which people bond with one another, and there have been no bad reviews for the shows.

Wang said the theater plans to show more than 50 fireworks displays this year to bolster its brand image and provide a venue for people to spend their weekends.

Historical ties

The Hunan cities of Liuyang and Liling, and the counties of Shangli and Wanzai in neighboring Jiangxi province, are China's four major fireworks-producing areas.

Ties between Liuyang and fireworks date to the Tang Dynasty (618-907), when Li Tian, a Liuyang native, is believed to have filled sections of bamboo with black powder, inventing the world's first firecrackers to drive away evil spirits.

Liuyang is the world's largest production hub for firecrackers and fireworks. Its domestic sales of fireworks account for 50 percent of the national total, and its export value for fireworks comprises 60 percent of this total.

Fireworks from the city light up birthdays, weddings and independence day celebrations in more than 100 countries worldwide.

Data from the Liuyang Firecrackers and Fireworks Industry Development Center show the 50 fireworks shows held in the city last year attracted more than 3.8 million visitors, including over 10,000 from other countries and regions.

The center, a government institution that oversees the city's firecrackers and fireworks industry, said the shows last year generated tourism revenue of more than 11 billion yuan.

In Liuyang, 431 enterprises are involved with manufacturing fireworks and firecrackers, 658 with related operational, wholesale and storage businesses, and more than 400 enterprises package these devices.

The city's pillar industry provides jobs for more than 300,000 people and generates almost 1 billion yuan in annual tax revenue, the center said.

Last year, the total output value of fireworks and firecrackers in Liuyang reached 50.89 billion yuan, a rise of nearly 69 percent from a year earlier, it added.

Government efforts to curb pollution have led to bans on fireworks in many cities nationwide. However, late last year, the National People's Congress Standing Committee's Legal Affairs Commission ruled that it is illegal for local governments to enact complete bans on selling and setting off fireworks.

On Jan 9, the authorities in Changsha said they would allow the public to set off fireworks for more than 10 days during Spring Festival and Lantern Festival.

Ten days later, the authorities in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, said fireworks could be set off by people for eight days during the two festivals.

In Dayao township, Liuyang, which produces 70 percent of the raw materials used to make fireworks in China, an international trading center houses more than 400 fireworks stores.

Gu Jun, president of Liuyang Junzi Fireworks Trade Co, which is located at the center, said he welcomes the regulation on fireworks being loosened.

Busy times

As Spring Festival approaches, employees at his company have been busy keeping up with orders from different areas.

Fireworks are generally not used as much abroad as they are in China, and as the export process is complicated, Gu said the 700-plus products his company makes are sold in 26 provincial areas of China.

He added that many fireworks companies have "gone domestic-only" due to the growing market in China, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Fireworks are a big part of Chinese people's lives and are used for important occasions such as birthdays, weddings or funerals," he added.

"After the COVID-19 restrictions were lifted in 2022, nearly all the fireworks in Liuyang sold out, because people needed to express their feelings and desire for happiness," Gu said.

While safety is the most important consideration for fireworks businesses, Gu's company also focuses on making its products more environmentally friendly, such as ensuring they leave no waste after being lit.

Young customers

Great efforts have been made to upgrade the packaging of fireworks to make it more appealing to young customers, Gu said, adding that his company is at the forefront of producing trendy packaging for its products.

He said the company expects its sales revenue for last year to have risen by 20 percent from 2022, to stand at tens of millions of yuan.

With more cities introducing friendlier policies toward fireworks, and the strong public demand for them, the industry is witnessing a resurgence, he said.

He Rongqiang, general manager of Yinyang Fireworks Group, said the company's sales revenue has grown by 30 to 50 percent annually in recent years due to strong domestic demand.

Production at some of the company's factories is now automated, significantly reducing the accident rate, he said.

Fireworks are a family business, and He's father also works in the industry. People in Liuyang have a special feeling for fireworks, and you can see them trying out new varieties on the streets, He added.

"It seems that anytime in Liuyang is a good time to set off a few fireworks," he said.

The company has made great efforts to promote its products on social media platforms to attract young people, He said. It has also tried to make setting off fireworks a fun social event, so people can invite their friends to watch them together.

"We want more young people to fall in love with fireworks and for the public to enjoy them more often," he said.

"It does not have to be a special occasion or celebration to mark a festival. You can set fireworks off after you finish work, while always paying attention to the safety of yourself and those around you," He added.