The last bangs
Tonight in China the loudest two weeks of the year come to an end. Chinese new year celebrations finish with a last round of fireworks to commemorate the Yuan Xiao or Lantern Festival. China invented fireworks - so it seems appropriate that this country shows the rest of the world how to make a bang.
Every night for the last two weeks in Beijing people have set off fireworks. Imagine Guy Fawkes Night or Fourth of July celebrations every night - that's what it's like.
It is an incredible spectacle. But for outsiders the bangs can take a bit of time to get used to (animals have similar problems - I know someone whose dog has been so scared by the fireworks that it refuses to be taken for a walk).
I'm writing these words in the BBC bureau as fireworks are set off on the street outside. A few minutes ago one set of rockets got knocked over and started firing off into parked cars and shops across the road. Nobody seemed to mind.
Many here enjoy the bangs. But they can be pretty dangerous. So far, official figures show that 481 people have been injured in firework accidents in Beijing (mainly caused, apparently, by badly made fireworks and drunkenness.)
UPDATE 1730 GMT: For several hours the skies of Beijing echoed with bangs. Then, shortly after 9pm, I was texted by a colleague. She told me that a large building - the 44-storey Mandarin Oriental hotel - had caught fire.
I ran the few blocks from my house to have a look. I joined a crowd on the 3rd Ring Road in East Beijing. Everyone was pointing their mobile phone cameras in a single direction.
My colleague filmed these pictures with her digital camera.
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The Mandarin Oriental was unfinished and had not yet opened to the public. It's part of a complex which houses one of Beijing's most dazzling new buildings - the headquarters of the state broadcaster, CCTV. This complex was designed by the Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas. It has become an icon of this city's architectural ambitions (protesters scaled it during the Beijing Olympics knowing that they would attract plenty of attention.)
As I write this post, there have been no reports of any casualties. It's not yet clear how the fire started. But many in the crowd were sure that it was caused by stray fireworks.
I left the scene a few minutes ago. As the fire carried on burning, the sound of fireworks continued to echo across the city.
SECOND UPDATE TUESDAY 0945 GMT: Another update on the fire which destroyed the hotel in the new complex built for the state broadcaster, CCTV.
The official news agency, Xinhua, is reporting that one fireman was killed and several others were injured when they tackled the fire. CCTV itself has issued a statement on its website (we've translated it from the original Chinese) :
"On the morning of February 10th, the Beijing Fire Department carried out an investigation and confirmed the cause of the fire. The person in charge of the construction of the new building project of CCTV hired staff without permission to set off fireworks that violated regulations. The fire caused serious damage to state property. CCTV is deeply remorseful."
So it was fireworks that did it.
This morning the blackened shell of the hotel stood out amid the collection of mirrored skyscrapers in Eastern Beijing.
I’m 
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~44~RS~)
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James,
Don't be too narrow-minded. It is a tradition for hundreds of years. Respect it even if you don't appreciate it.
Fireworks were banned in cities in the 1990's. We had very quiet new years during that time which were just as boring as the Xmas in the UK (Am I narrow-aminded too?)
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haha....maybe there are something that u dont know,actually,i myself knew that a couple days ago....which is...some places(just SOME PLACES) in china...ppl think that Feb 2nd of chinese lunar calendar is the last day of new year:)
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Chinese invented gun power which is used for fun. Some other cuntries use gun power to invent weapons to kill peoples...
China actually stopped people to have fireworks in big cities in 1990s, but received huge complaint from the public. The government had to withdraw the policy around 2000.
I guess China should enforce HSE policy a bit more harsh, but definitely not like something in the UK: many sports activity applications were rejected because of HSE concern. A very safe country (in terms of HSE) to live, but a boring country lack of fun...
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By the way, James, tonight is not the last night to have fireworks, you will possibly still be able to hear it until the night of 18th (lunar calender).
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Yet again, any sort of comment on something Chinese is described by one of their posters as 'narrow minded'. Nothing James said was narrow minded of disapproving - you lot really are too sensitive for this world!
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Fireworks are banned in my country during the Chinese New Year though we would love to have them to add to the joyous ambience of the celebrations. What a shame!
This is the tradition passed down by our forefathers for the Chinese New Year Celebrations a few thousand years ago and we should preserve it at all cost. I will travel to Beijing next year during the Chinese New Year period to experience the bangs engendered by setting off the fireworks.
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They banned real fireworks for Chinese New Year City in the 90's with Guiliani as Mayor. It is still banned even thought the number is much smaller. Chinese New Year is just not the same without real fireworks. Like China I hope cities around the world would lift the ban on Chinese using fireworks, especially NY. HSE safety is the key not the fireworks or celebration.
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It looks like loads of fun and everyone is having a good life there in China. At least they celebrated the New Year big time, we in Canada had nothing to talk about.
Gonna go there next time for the Chinese New Year.
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I hope they don't have as many antisocial people as we have in England.
Basically kids where I live in London just bomb places in November every year - they fire fireworks horizontally so it's like missiles flying everywhere when you look out the window. This year some other kids put crackers right at the entrance of the local shopping centre and it was a mess when the cracker went off. I was quite happy when the police arrived and actually arrested some of these people.
I am sick of kids being inconsiderate and antisocial thinking they can pretty much get away with anything. Clearly the education here is failing and it's time to discipline our children properly. Don't know whether they have this kind of problems in Beijing as well.
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How ironic - news is coming in of the OMA Rem Koolhaas TVCC tower on fire as a result of fireworks. Looks like it has gutted the entire building!
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I just watched the building next to the CCTV building go up in flames. Surreal.
I wonder whether they change the rules due to this incident.
Strangely, BBC News has been slow on reporting about it.
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the one thing James will probably take back from his trips in China is the hatred and animosity aimed at him from overseas Chinese on these blogs. he simply writes about a few fireworks and is accused of being 'narrow-minded'. well, so much for the 'peaceful rise of China'.
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Even ordinary Chinese can now buy Olympic 'foot print' fireworks in China. It's a piece of cake for the Chinese to make such fireworks.
And many western media called the Beijing Olympic opening ceremony's fireworks display 'a fake', simply because the 'foot print' portion of the telecast fireworks was pre-recorded.
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Hi, I was heading up the east 3rd at about 8:30pm tonight and saw the inpromptu display that the CCTV building site held. Many cars pulled over to the 'hard shoulder' and I was witness to most people outside of their cars taking images of the happening, which is fairly unseen of in Beijing, causing major disruptions to the normal flow of the traffic on the ring road. The fireworks used were clearly more impressive than standard fireworks used in the last 14 days by the public. As I passed by we were witnessed to smiley face and hearts fireworks. After a small distance we could see large firework mortars(higher than normal) showering cascade fireworks. I heard of the fire once i'd already arrived at my destination north of chaoyang park. Its such a shame, however, knowing Chinese building sites i can imagine that the sentiment was somehow misplaced...
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On the gunpowder score, doesn't the Wujing Zongyao (Collection of military techniqiues) written in 1044 by Chinese scholars, give the measurements to produce bombs for warfare using gunpowder? Have I misunderstood something?
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well, that is tradition, it isn't? then what's propblem with that? shows the chartristic of China, and I know it is some times can be difficult for outsiders, but be honestly, what the outsiders want, feel at home? come on, this country has its own tradition and clutures, it has very deep roots in her history. Like all the "outsiders" including me, when you living, working or studying in a country where you needed a visa then compromise what the differences between the new place and your home town.
show some good side of it, even you feel difficult to get to use to it.
I am sure China will be quite diffieret from the UK. And James, please, pick up some good sides of it, do not focus on how many people injuried, espcially due to drunkenness. it is point less, because every country would have some idiots hurt themslves or others after heavy toast every single year.
I think the heavy fire work acorss China shows that most of Chinese people is looking forward for the next year, they knew it is going to be a tough time ahead, and they are not 100% sure what will be happen. But they are demonstrating they still had faith on the country and their own, may be they even put bet on the CCP.
if this year there is no such fire work, I would certainly sure of that the world will all aheading to a really unpleasant situation.
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I MISS THE FIREWORKS!!
Where is the bigbritishcastle in the Jing? Ooh I bet I can work out where you live, James. ;) I keed I keeed
I hope it rains oop north... save the crops :(
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@10
-Exactly what I was going to say.....
@5
"Chinese invented gun power which is used for fun. Some other cuntries use gun power to invent weapons to kill peoples..."
-Of course, China never killed anyone with a gun.
And your spelling of countries is a bit rude, too!
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Zheng He's treasure fleets were armed with cannons and incendiary range weapons. And no, they were not brought along for fun!
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With fireworks flying around for two weeks, I'm surprised that many more buildings aren't burned to the ground and many, many more fingers aren't blown off. People who set of fireworks like that are not necessarily concerned with where they go, as James pointed out, so incidents like this are surely bound to happen year after year.
Here in Poland (Krakow) I usually hear fireworks starting up an evening or two before New Year's Eve. It's annoying, especially because it seems so uninspired. People don't seem to be celebrating the new year or the end of the old one, just looking for an excuse to make a bunch of noise.
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James Reynolds:
I just watched the building next to the CCTV building go up in flames. It is very surreal.
I am have been seeing the story online since, it first broke....
Regarding the comments at time of recording about no one has been killed....That is very sobering news!
~Dennis Junior~
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There is no accurate statistics about how many people die of fire caused by firework across the country during the spring festival and how many property burned to the ground. People injured by fire work (loosing their fingers &eyes) may counted at tens of thousands if not more. The old tradition is maintained with a huge human, economic and environmental cost. (James Reynold did not mention the choking air during the long festivals caused by firework).
Firework ban in 1990s was largely unpopular. Although it was supported by environmentalists, healthcare professionals and fire service, the government had to bow to the pressure at the end to lift the ban. As far as I know the routine large scale fire work by central and local governments in major cities (to celebrate National Day, Labour Day and New Year) are now a past. Olympic 2008 was an exception. However, at least the government has managed to banned itself from it.
Ordinary people spend hundreds of Yuan each year on Spring Festival firework and I know some people spend thousands Yuan on it. There are people who recognise the damage fire work does and ban themself from it. The Chinese government has done some successful work when it comes to challenge old traditions such as teenager marriges, marrige between cousines, arranged marrige, the old value of "more children more happiness" but failed on the fire work one.
I would like to see firework banned or limited. If this is impossible then at least the government should intensify the education and ask people to spend less on firework. If one person's freedom and enjoyment are built upon other people's misery and sufferrings then I 'd rather give up this "freedom". Please, every one, think about it.
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Yes, that's a long tradition to celebrate our festival and some other happy events with fireworks in China. Yes, it's a little dangerous but we still like it, just as some nations(probably Spanish) like running with crazy bulls in a certain time and every time some people died under bulls' foots.
It's just a tradition to respect but I'd like to say sorry to bother you as a guest in Beijing. Of course, fireworks do have caused a lot of troubles in China. the government should offer a more detailed criterion on firework production and its use, and people must be more careful.
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DoXiongMao, of course explosives were used for military purposes above all. The ancient greeks had the 'greek fire' that was a form of flamethrower/firebomb and the Mongols borrowed something similar from the Chinese for their siege warfare. Things that blow up are not just for fun nor are they originally produced for amusement purposes.
But this is about fireworks setting a building on fire - a combination of apparent carelessness from the firework crews, reluctance to call the fire department and a rather flammable building. What I found most surprising is just how quickly that thing burnt. Was it a case of the aluminium in the building structure going ablaze as the fire reached a critical temperature? It is a good thing it burnt with nobody inside as I would not be happy with a fire in there when it is occupied.
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Chinese New Year without fireworks is just like a Christmas without Christmas tree. It's just a Chinese tradition. Once Chinese government has banned it in some big cities but people have many complaits on the quiet New Year, so it's released again.
Fireworks is a good thing for celebration but people should use it more carefully, or it will cause a lot of trouble.
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I am so sorry about the new accident. We love our traditions, but the upgrade of the people's safety consciousness (sorry, maybe not the right word) is also needed. I hope people can learn from this accident (be it is caused by firework).
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I wish to send my condolences to the family of the firefighter who lost his life, and to those who have been injured.
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#19.
the one thing James will probably take back from his trips in China is the hatred and animosity aimed at him from overseas Chinese on these blogs. he simply writes about a few fireworks and is accused of being 'narrow-minded'. well, so much for the 'peaceful rise of China'.
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My friend, the comment is not "hatred and animosity" at all. Imagine that you make a trip to China, then read a report of Christmas in Europe, telling you about trees were choped only for some weeks' beauty and end up in filling all available gabage bins ...
As a chinese student in Germany, I spent some new year's eve in Dresden. On those nights we went to the top of our student dormitory to watch the spectacular fireworks shining over the whole night sky of this beautiful city, of cource everytime among a crowd of cheerful German students. No one seems to worry whether their beloved pets would be scared -.- If James comment these events in the same style, it can also be expected that some German people will react in the similar way: "Oh James, don't be too ..." This has also nothing to do with whether the rise of Germany is peaceful or not.
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The fire actually started on the roof of the building around 8.20pm when we first saw the smoke and called the police. You can see the complete photo sequence from billowing black smoke to towering inferno on my blog at http://rayally365photos.blogspot.com/
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The difficulty the authorities have limiting the use of fireworks emphasises the importance of public opinion in China. Yet sometimes westerners write as though in China the government is all powerful. The thing which astounded me on a trip to China was the extent to which people ignore traffic regulations. And I thought London driving was bad!
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It's sad to know that one fireman was killed and several others were injured. Happiness is important but health and safety should never be ignored.
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James:
Regarding the second update on this story...I would like to send my heartfelt condolences to the Beijing Firefighter who was killed during the fire at CCTV Headquarters in Beijing, China....
~Dennis Junior~
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Your reports day to day in Beijing are well written and reveal an openness to the Chinese culture. I first saw Beijing when there were still old hutongs and teahouses. It was a snowy December, 1982. I loved every minute and for the next ten years placed English teachers in schools all over, most through the Amity Foundation of Nanjing. Keep on enjoying it and sharing it. I would have retired there but for obligations in the USA. My newspaper columns sometime on China.
Along the Way: www.britt-towery.blogspot.com
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The burning of the imperial palace during the Ming Dynasty resulted in China's centuries-long exile from the rest of the world.
With the burning of one of China's symbol of resurgence, and on the first full moon of the new lunar year, let hope that the current crop of leaders are more rational than their Ming counterparts.
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It just remainded me that China indeed is inventor country and all of development thereafter in the West, actually based of these inventions. When the West were still in stone-aged society, China already in full blown civilized country.
Nowadays there are noisy report especially from the West about fake products Made In China.
May ask you a little question, did you already paid any royalties to Chinese people for centuries for their invention?
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Condolence to the family of the firefighter who gave his life.
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@tkbutt
"The burning of the imperial palace during the Ming Dynasty resulted in China's centuries-long exile from the rest of the world.
With the burning of one of China's symbol of resurgence, and on the first full moon of the new lunar year, let hope that the current crop of leaders are more rational than their Ming counterparts."
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The burning of the imperial palace by invading foreign powers happened at the end of the Qing Dynasty not in Ming dynasty. Pls do not move it to 16 century. Ming Dynasty was almost there hundreds years before Qing.
How can a fire work burned building compare to palaces burned down by foreign invading powers?
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Try banning beer drinking during new year parties, because there are so many injuries due to drunk drivers etc.
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48. At 01:58am on 12 Feb 2009, funnyanotherblogger
If you know your Chinese history thoroughly, that wasn't the only instance that the imperial palace was burnt down. Besides, the one you're referring to is probably burning of the Summer Palace (yuen-ming yuen) - apologies for my Cantonese pronounciation!
On May 9, 1421, lightning struck the newly constructed Imperial Palace in Beijing, burning it to the ground, with great loss of life. The Emperor, Zhu Di, tearfully concluded that he had offended the Gods by building the fleets. An edict was soon issued prohibiting future voyages and foreign travel.
Under Zhu Di, Zheng He made 6 voyages between 1405-1421. The 7th and final voyage didn't occur until 9 years later, and 5 years after Zhu Di's death, in 1430. By then the Ming Dynasty was on a permanent decline.
Of course there are other more pressing reasons for the banning of maritime travel during that time that have gradually drained the Ming treasury. Among them were renewed Mongol attacks in the north, failing expeditions against rebellions in Annam in the south, and disastrous floods on the Yellow River. The burning of the new palace was a devastating psychological blow that led to the curbing of excesses including its effort of reaching out to the world.
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James Reynolds:
SECOND UPDATE TUESDAY 0945 GMT: Another update on the fire which destroyed the hotel in the new complex built for the state broadcaster, CCTV.
I just read the text of the 2nd update to the blog...I am sending my heartfelt condolences and prayers to the family of the firefighter and also...I hope that there was going to be a very full investigation on the fire.....
~Dennis Junior~
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