Fireworks, a flashpoint between China’s old and new   

近700城禁或限放鞭炮 专家担忧民族年俗文化丢失

“小年”已过，春节的脚步越来越近。一方面担忧雾霾、噪声扰城，已有近700城市禁放、限放鞭炮；另一方面也有不少民众渴望过年放鞭炮图热闹的呼声。这两者背后引发多少纠结？禁放、限放举措如何确保落实？[查看全文]

(ECNS) - With Chinese New Year approaching, many cities are once again renewing restrictions on firecrackers - and also facing concerns about losing an ancient cultural tradition.

So far, 138 cities have banned firecrackers and fireworks, and another 536 have released guidelines restricting the use of firecrackers, according to data from the Ministry of Public Security.

Fireworks have long been an essential part of China's celebration of the Lunar New Year and other important occasions, symbolically driving away bad luck and bringing auspicious energy. But the real-life hazards have become increasingly obvious, mostly in the form of fires, injuries and smog plaguing Chinese cities.

Many of those cities launched the first round of firecracker bans in the early 1990s, but resistance from citizens and lack of effective enforcement often prevailed. By 2005, of the 106 Chinese cities that had initiated firework controls, only Guangzhou and Shenzhen remained steadfast.

Rolling back those restrictions has taken a toll. During Lantern Festival in 2014, some 33 cities witnessed heavy pollution, according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection. That same year, more than 2,000 people were injured by firecrackers and fireworks in Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi province, during the Spring Festival holiday week. Fires caused by firecrackers were also common.

At the same time, increasing numbers of citizens have changed their minds and now support banning firecrackers, or at least restricting them. Many people find the noise, smoke and litter unpleasant, or even intolerable. At the beginning of 2015, an opinion poll in Changchun, capital of Jilin province, found that 86 percent of citizens were in favor of firecracker prohibition.

Firecracker bans reappeared on government agendas not long after. On February 3, the Ministry of Environmental Protection asked provincial governments to implement bans and restrictions. On February 4, Jiangxi province transferred the directive to city level administrations.

Yet some scholars say banning firecrackers will make the country lose another aspect of its festival culture, an important part of China's national heritage.

Experts have pointed out that the controversy around banning firecrackers is rooted in the conflict between traditional culture and modern lifestyles.

"It's inevitable that traditional celebration culture will adjust and become the new normal," said Shi Lixue, head of the Jilin Folklore Society. He added that environmentally friendly firecrackers and new celebration practices would be more effective than just banning firecrackers.

Many firework producers have made efforts to reduce the environmental harm caused by their products.

Meanwhile, enforcement of bans remains challenging. Individual breaches are hard to trace, suggesting that government departments should take the lead and release specific measures.

Experts also noted that bans require support throughout society, with enforcement measures and environmental awareness among citizens essential for success.