THE INVENTION OF FIREWORKS

By: Parker Gunnison

HISTORY BEHIND THE INVENTION OF

FIREWORKS

There is a legend behind the invention of fireworks by the

Chinese. It is said that one day a chef with the Chinese army

mixed three common kitchen ingredients, saltpeter, sulfur and

charcoal. He dropped these ingredients inadvertently into fire and

this produced a colorful flame. This made him excited and he tried

to burn it in a closed bamboo shoot. This resulted in an enormous

explosion. Thus, the basic firecracker was born. This crude black

powder that constituted the ancient fireworks mixture was named

as 'huo yao' (fire chemical) by the Chinese.

Many stories mention a Chinese monk named Li Tian of Liu

Yang in Hunan Province as the inventor of fireworks. The

Chinese celebrate the invention of firecrackers on April 18 and

offer sacrifices to him. To this date, Liu Yang is the main region

which produces fireworks. Legend has it, Li Tian ignited a

bamboo tube filled with gunpowder and the loud band got rid of

the ghost of an evil dragon that haunted emperor Li Shiming in

the Tang Dynasty. Thus, the people named Li Tian as the

founder of firecrackers

HISTORY BEHIND THE INVENTION OF FIREWORKS

CONTINUED

THEN AND TODAY’S FIREWORK

Today the firework is used to celebrate many

things, such as fourth of July, graduation, getting a

home run and so on. In ancient times the Chinese

used fireworks to ward off evil sprits like evil

dragons, and ghost.