Chinese Fireworks Project

Fireworks impact

Celebrations without fireworks in the present day feel incomplete thanks to China's invention. With the invention of fireworks China has influenced the entire world and fireworks are being used in nearly every national celebration. Fireworks have become a symbol of prosperity and will continue to be the main attraction in multiple celebrations in the world

Spread of Fireworks 2

Eventually fireworks became so popular that Italy stepped in and began to mass produce all types of fireworks and firecrackers used for celebrations. By the 1700s the spread of fireworks became so large that it has been used in all types of religious ceremonies apart from Chinese. The spread of fireworks has proven China's major impact on the rest of the world.

Fireworks Today

Fireworks are still being used in all types of celebrations including the Chinese New Year, Independence day, religious ceremonies and more. Now with modern technology we are capable of changing the color of fireworks according to the different chemicals added in.

Origins of Chinese Fireworks

Fireworks were accidently invented 2,000 years ago by a Chinese cook who was working in a field kitchen. The cook proceeded to mix charcoal, sulphur, and saltpeter (potassium nitrate) and began to burn it inside of a large bamboo tube. After several seconds the tube began to sizzle then exploded. That was where the idea of fireworks as well as firecrackers first originated.

Origins of Chinese Fireworks 2

Li Tan, a Chinese monk, heard this explosion and was startled as was the rest of the village. After being startled he believed that it would scare evil spirits as well and began to make more explosives and then proceeded to use them for religious ceremonies.

Evolution of Fireworks

The combination of Saltpeter, Charcoal, and Sulphur creates gunpowder. The Chinese have created multiple fireworks uses these chemicals then discovered that the explosion could be harmful and could potentially be used as a weapon. So knowing this the Chinese went hard at work to come up with some new invention and the result was history's first gun. It was called a Fire Lance a black-powder-filled tube attached to the end of a spear and the shrapnel was sometimes placed in the barrel so that it would fly out together with the flames. Gunpowder began to develop and is still being used to this day. Which is another example of the impact of Chinese culture.

How fireworks were first used

The fireworks were said to scare evil spirits away as if the they were frightened animals. One example of a spirit the Chinese strongly disliked would be the Black Cat. Once a year they would set off the fireworks to scare the black cat and it would not reappear as long as the fireworks continued. Without the evil spirits the Chinese could live in peace.

Spread of Fireworks

The idea of fireworks became so successful that a European man by the name of Marco Polo brought the idea over to Europe where they expanded their knowledge of explosives with fireworks.

Celebrations That use fireworks

There are many celebrations that use fireworks including The fourth of July, Christmas, the Olympics, Chinese new year, new year, and all types of religious ceremonies and rituals.