Fireworks production technology (Pingxiang fireworks production technology)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: fireworks production technology (Pingxiang fireworks production technology)

Applicant: Shangli County, Jiangxi Province

Project No.: 436

Project No.: VIII - 86

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: traditional art

Region: Jiangxi Province

Type: Extension Project

Applicant: Shangli County, Jiangxi Province

Protection unit: Shangli fireworks culture inheritance and Development Association

Brief introduction of fireworks production technology (Pingxiang fireworks production technology)

Applicant: Shangli County, Jiangxi Province

China is the first country to invent gunpowder in the world. Fireworks made of gunpowder also have a long history and enjoy high reputation in the world. The record of firecracker can be found in the book of Jingchu's age in the southern and Northern Dynasties, which describes the custom of firecracker in front of the court to avoid evil spirits when the cock crows. At that time, the so-called firecracker actually burned the bamboo tube, causing the air in the tube to heat up and burst. After Sui and Tang Dynasties, gunpowder was loaded into bamboo tube instead. In Song Dynasty, the abandoned bamboo tube was replaced by paper wrapped gunpowder. String of small firecrackers, commonly known as "firecrackers", have appeared in Hangzhou, the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty. According to the records of old stories in Wulin, this kind of firecracker rings continuously after it is ignited to the end. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, there were many kinds of firecrackers, such as the double sound thunderbolt, the rising three waves, the two kicks, the flying ten rings and so on. Modern firecrackers are further developed and perfected in type and technology, forming a complete production system, including single sound, double sound, serial sound, firecrackers, firecrackers and other varieties, as well as various technologies such as reel, barrel cutting, bottom pasting, mud filling, gunpowder priming and hole sealing.

Fireworks, also known as "fireworks" and "fireworks", began in the Sui and Tang Dynasties, flourished in the Song Dynasty, and became popular in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. In the Tang Dynasty, "gunpowder and fireworks" appeared, which can show melons and fruits, animals, ghosts and other patterns. In the Southern Song Dynasty, shelf fireworks were very popular. According to Wanshu Zaji, there are many kinds of fireworks in Beijing in Ming Dynasty. The paper letter is called "flower tube", the mud letter is called "casserole", and the bamboo basket letter is called "flower box", which can show various patterns such as ribbon bird, grape trellis, pearl curtain, and long-term lamp. In the Qing Dynasty, Ji Sheng said that the fireworks in the capital at that time were "filled with several stories in the brocade box, and the characters were like Sheng, Ling and flowers and plants. The color of fireworks is mainly made of gunpowder and different chemicals, such as sodium salt is yellow, potassium salt is purple, strontium salt is red, barium salt is green and copper salt is blue.

Fireworks and firecrackers in China are mainly produced in Liuyang of Hunan, Wanzai and Pingxiang of Jiangxi, Dongguan of Guangdong and Pucheng and Yangxian of Shaanxi. Among them, shelf fireworks were well-known in the Song Dynasty. At present, they are rarely used, so it is urgent to protect and inherit them in order to promote their continuous development.

Shangli County, Pingxiang City, Jiangxi Province has a long history of making firecrackers and fireworks. According to historical records, the manufacture of firecrackers in Hunan began in the Tang Dynasty and flourished in the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. It developed from Shangli in Jiangxi Province to Liuyang in Hunan Province, and then to Liling. Thus, Shangli is one of the main birthplaces of firecrackers.

Li Wan, the founder of the firecracker industry, was a man from Mashi County, Shangli County. The original firecracker he invented was to saw bamboo into bamboo tubes with knots on both sides and about a foot long. It was filled with gunpowder, and a fire wire was inserted on the head to ignite the fire wire. The bamboo tube was exploded and made a huge noise, so it was named "firecracker". Later, Li found that the firecracker made of bamboo tube sometimes was not easy to explode, and sometimes it would hurt people when it exploded, so he turned to seek a better material for the tube and made it into paper tube firecracker through experiments. Later, he connected the leads of the firecrackers one by one to make firecrackers.

There were more than 400 kinds of fireworks in four categories in Shangli, Pingxiang, but now there are more than 1200 kinds in nine categories, among which more than 20 products such as high altitude rocket are the most famous.

Chinese PinYin : Yan Huo Bao Zhu Zhi Zuo Ji Yi Ping Xiang Yan Hua Zhi Zuo Ji Yi