Firecracker legends and customs

1, one-legged mountain ghost

In the Tang Dynasty, there was an emperor named Li Shimin, and Li Shimin had a prime minister named Wei Zheng. It is said that Wei Zheng was very powerful. Once, a man named Jinghe Dragon King, the governor of Bahedu, violated the laws of nature and was sentenced to death. The Jade Emperor ordered Wei Zheng to execute the execution. It was midnight in the hot summer. After Wei Zheng fell asleep, he was suddenly sweating profusely. It turned out that he was sweating from exhaustion while killing the dragon that had committed a crime against Tian Tiao.

At this moment, Li Shimin slapped Wei Zheng three times with a fan. With such a blow, the wind helped Wei Zheng and finally helped him kill the sinful dragon. Therefore, the ghost of Sin Dragon blamed Li Shimin and often committed crimes, making Li Shimin restless and restless every night.

The imperial court had to send generals Qin Shubao and Yuchi Gong to guard Li Shimin's palace before everything was safe. However, to guard it every night, a man named Li Tian came up with a way: put some saltpetre and sulfur in a small bamboo tube, ignite it and make an explosion, and the mountain would scream and the valley would roar, scaring away all the ghosts and evil spirits.

After Li Tian used this method, it was indeed effective. Therefore, firecrackers were later widely used to ward off evil spirits and miasma. In order to commemorate Li Tian, ??later generations respected him as the ancestor of firecrackers. Every time on the 18th day of the fourth lunar month, Li Tian's master would meet. On the birthday of the founder, a grand banquet would be held, guns and cannons would be fired, and people would kowtow and kneel down to celebrate grandly. This custom has been passed down from generation to generation for thousands of years, and it was followed until the early days of liberation.

2. Sun Yinya and Alchemy Platform

At the end of the Sui Dynasty and the beginning of the Tang Dynasty in my country, Sun Simiao, a famous alchemist and medical expert, emerged. Sun Simiao was a man of extraordinary talent and learning. Not only did he have excellent medical skills, but he also had superb alchemy skills. He refused the imperial court's grant of a title many times. It is said that in order to concentrate on refining elixirs and practicing medicine, Sun Simiao first lived in seclusion in the deep mountains and old forests of the Taihang Mountains, and then traveled thousands of miles south to hide in the mountains of eastern Hunan, and finally settled down in Liuyang.

Outside the east gate of Liuyang County, up the river, there is a small river that meets the Liuyang River. In the woods on the mountain, there is a cave. Legend has it that Sun Simiao lived in seclusion here. After Sun Simiao settled down in this cliff cave, he refined it day and night. Day after day, year after year, Sun Simiao finally refined gunpowder and became the founder of fireworks and firecrackers.

2. The custom of firecrackers

Setting off firecrackers during the Spring Festival has a long history as a custom for Chinese people to celebrate the Spring Festival. Although this kind of activity can add a happy atmosphere to the festival, the smoke and dust released by setting off firecrackers and the sparks splashed out can easily cause environmental pollution, cause fires, and some violent Firecrackers cause some casualties every year.

With the advancement of society and people's civilization, the disadvantages of the custom of setting off firecrackers during the Spring Festival have attracted attention from all walks of life. In the past, many cities in our country have enacted regulations prohibiting the setting off of fireworks. It has not been lifted yet.

Extended information:

Pay attention to safety when setting off firecrackers:

The utensils used to set off firecrackers (such as sanitary incense) should be long enough. After the firecrackers are lit and do not go off, do not approach them easily. You can tap them twice with a wooden stick to put out the fire before approaching. Some children find that the firecrackers are not going off, so they rush to the firecrackers to check, and some even lie down on the ground to watch. There is often a loud bang when they approach (because some firecrackers have uneven gunpowder and burn slowly), and then the firecrackers burn slowly. Causes eye or facial injuries.

In addition, you should read the instructions when setting off, and do not hold it in your hands if it is required to be placed on the ground. If the instructions are not clear, it is best to put it on the ground and set it firmly, to prevent it from being knocked over when ignited and the firecrackers flying around, causing explosion injuries.

People's Daily Online - Beware of firecracker injuries during the New Year. Tips for setting off fireworks safely.

Baidu Encyclopedia-Firecrackers