Shenzhen Daily)
Updated: 2007-02-27 09:06
Although fireworks have been banned Shenzhen special economic zone (SEZ) for 16 years now, residents still set off large quantities of fireworks during the Spring Festival holiday, citing tradition as the reason they chose to violate the ban.
Despite the Shenzhen Municipal Government's efforts to enforce the ban -- police confiscated 30 tons of fireworks, detained 35 people for setting off fireworks inside the SEZ and warned more than 1,000 people in the past week -- city residents continued to buy and light firecrackers on the pretext that fireworks constituted an important part of the Spring Festival tradition.
In urban villages, on Binhai Thoroughfare and along the Western Corridor, fireworks were seen and heard almost every night during the weeklong Chinese New Year celebrations, illuminating the city's skyline with a spectacular light show.
"Without setting off fireworks, it doesn't look like Chinese New Year at all," said resident Yang Zhenkang. "What other special celebrations do we have to mark the lunar New Year except for family reunion and having a big dinner?"
Yang said many cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, have lifted the ban on fireworks, and suggested the Shenzhen Municipal Government follow suit.
Hu Yeqiu, director of the Shenzhen SEZ Culture Research Center, thinks it is difficult to ban the lighting of fireworks, a custom that has been in vogue for over 2,000 years. He suggested the government set strict standards for fireworks production to strike a balance between tradition and safety.
Updated: 2007-02-27 09:06
Although fireworks have been banned Shenzhen special economic zone (SEZ) for 16 years now, residents still set off large quantities of fireworks during the Spring Festival holiday, citing tradition as the reason they chose to violate the ban.
Despite the Shenzhen Municipal Government's efforts to enforce the ban -- police confiscated 30 tons of fireworks, detained 35 people for setting off fireworks inside the SEZ and warned more than 1,000 people in the past week -- city residents continued to buy and light firecrackers on the pretext that fireworks constituted an important part of the Spring Festival tradition.
In urban villages, on Binhai Thoroughfare and along the Western Corridor, fireworks were seen and heard almost every night during the weeklong Chinese New Year celebrations, illuminating the city's skyline with a spectacular light show.
"Without setting off fireworks, it doesn't look like Chinese New Year at all," said resident Yang Zhenkang. "What other special celebrations do we have to mark the lunar New Year except for family reunion and having a big dinner?"
Yang said many cities, including Beijing and Shanghai, have lifted the ban on fireworks, and suggested the Shenzhen Municipal Government follow suit.
Hu Yeqiu, director of the Shenzhen SEZ Culture Research Center, thinks it is difficult to ban the lighting of fireworks, a custom that has been in vogue for over 2,000 years. He suggested the government set strict standards for fireworks production to strike a balance between tradition and safety.