China: Online debate on fireworks ban as Chinese New Year approaches

Chinese lawmakers have waded into the online fireworks debate, shedding light on the contentious issue of whether fireworks should illuminate the Lunar New Year festivities.

Addressing concerns yesterday, December 29, officials acknowledged the difficulty of enforcing an outright ban on pyrotechnics, given the country’s historical connection with inventing these dazzling displays.

Lawmakers revealed the nuanced nature of the supposed fireworks prohibition.

“Air pollution prevention laws and fire safety regulations have led to differences in understanding.”

Official data from 2017 unveiled that 444 cities had initially imposed bans on fireworks. Over the years, however, some cities have relaxed restrictions, permitting firework displays during specific times and at designated locations. Yet, recent notices in many counties resurrected the ban dialogue, prompting citizens to assert their right to fireworks on Weibo, China’s equivalent of Twitter.

The roots of this luminous debate extend back 2,000 years to folklore, attributing the invention of fireworks to ward off the mythical beast, Nian, on the eve of the Lunar New Year. Despite occasional defiance against bans, particularly during the recent lift of Covid-19 restrictions, the environmental and safety arguments in favour of the ban persist.

A Weibo user asserted that people have the right to purchase and use fireworks, emphasising the cultural significance of the tradition. However, a counter-argument from another Weibo user stressed the necessity of regulation due to pollution and safety hazards.

An online poll by the official Beijing Youth Daily revealed a surprising statistic: over 80% of respondents expressed support for fireworks during the Spring Festival, China’s paramount holiday. Some critics found irony in the ban, especially after the United Nations officially recognised the Spring Festival as a global holiday, a move that was celebrated by Chinese officials, reported Bangkok Post.

In Hunan province, a major fireworks manufacturing hub, exports skyrocketed to 4.1 billion yuan (approximately 20 billion baht) from January to November, surpassing domestic sales and adding another explosive dimension to this illuminating debate.