Fireworks go all the way back in China's history to the Han Dynasty of 200 B. C. It is believed that someone threw a piece of green bamboo into a fire when dry fuel was running short. The bamboo sizzled, unexpectedly exploded, and became the world's first "firecracker." The extraordinary sound, which had never been heard before, scared the wits out of nearby people and animals. The Chinese concluded that if the sound scared away living, breathing creatures, it was bound to really do a job on spirits as well, particularly evil ones.
It soon became customary to throw green bamboo into a fire during the Lunar New Year celebrations in order to scare away an evil spirit named Nian, who was believed to eat crops and people. This act ensured happiness and prosperity for upcoming year. Soon, the Chinese were using exploding bamboo for other occasions as well (births, wedding, coronations, etc.) until gun powder came along and fireworks became even more powerful.
Today, not a day goes by that I don't hear the sounds of booming fireworks going off somewhere for a multitude of reasons of which I can't quite figure out. Before construction started across the street from my apartment, all the evil spirits were blasted away with an awe-inspiring, deafening spectacle, the likes of which I have never seen!
It sure seems to me we were on teh phone when this one happened. of course it could have been during a number of other "demon strations."
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