According to legend, a demonic monster named Nian, the same Chinese character as for "year", was once skulking toward an ancient village to gobble its occupants when it was frightened away by the crackling sound it made by stepping on stacks of dried reeds.
People have set off firecrackers to scare him off every year since they discovered loud noises were the bane of this beast. Today, firecrackers come in strands of 1,000, 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000.
They look like the strings of dried red peppers that dangle near doorways in the countryside and sound like mounted anti-aircraft machine guns.
The sets of 10,000, which measure about 1 sq m coiled up, are called "big fortune" packs and cost 330 yuan. Packs of 1,000 go for 52 yuan.The strands are usually hung from the end of a pole and detonated while someone hoists the rod in the air.
Roman candles cost 88 yuan and rocket 19 explosives up 20 m into the air. Quieter and tamer are the multicolored spark fountains. Fan recommends the Coconut Gala varieties, which send gushing showers of bright light up to 4 m. They come in blue, green and red, and cost 35 yuan each.
You can also light up the night with lantern-shaped boxes of baolingdeng for 65 yuan. These red and yellow fireworks are lined with six fountains that gush with 3-m-high showers of sparks fringed with tufts of flame.
Fan says kids can also get in on the fun - many of the fireworks are aimed, not literally, at the younger crowd and are more interactive.
Pyrotechnically powered spinning discs shoot sparks out the sides and are meant for youngsters to try to leap back and forth as they wobble to and fro. Parental discretion is clearly advised, however.
In addition, there are boxes shaped like tanks with wheels on the bottom and a spark-fountain on the top. When the fuse is lit, they zip along the ground, and since they come in boxes of two for 10 yuan, they're ideal for racing.
Fan says young girls are especially fond of giant sparklers, which can extend more than 1 m long. Little ladies also enjoy 10-yuan Fair Maiden Flowerpots, which are shaped like a container for colorful flora and send red and green sparks dancing 1 m in the air.
Kung Fu Pandas, which are small fountains in packages shaped like everybody's favorite fighting bear striking martial arts poses, cost 21 yuan for six.
By Erik Nillson
