Spring Festival is the most important traditional festival of the Chinese, and it is also the most national festival. In this festival, people have many customs, such as sticking Spring Festival couplets, eating Chinese New Year's Eve dinner, setting off firecrackers, greeting the New Year, etc., these customs contain profound cultural connotations and historical origins, and are the spiritual symbols and cultural genes of the Chinese nation. However, with the development and change of society, some traditional customs are also facing challenges and impacts, and some have even been "stopped" or "banned".
For example, setting off firecrackers, which is one of the most representative customs of the Spring Festival, is banned or restricted in many cities due to environmental protection and safety reasons. This makes many people feel puzzled and dissatisfied, believing that this is a destruction and denial of traditional culture. Why, then, were these customs "stopped"? Are these "stops" justified? Should these customs be preserved or changed?
Firecrackers are one of the oldest and most common customs of the Chinese to celebrate the Spring Festival, which is said to have originated during the Shang and Zhou dynasties, when people burned bamboo with fire, using the sound of bamboo bursting to ward off evil spirits and plagues, and pray for peace and good luck. Later, with the invention of gunpowder, people made fireworks of various shapes and colors out of gunpowder and paper, which were more lively and spectacular.
The custom of setting off firecrackers gradually spread throughout the country and even overseas, becoming a landmark custom of the Chinese. Firecrackers are not only a form of entertainment, but also a way to express emotions and wishes, and people celebrate the arrival of the New Year by setting off firecrackers, wishing happiness and health to their families and friends, praying for the success of their careers and studies, and various other good wishes. Firecrackers are also a cultural symbol that reflects the optimism and enthusiasm of the Chinese, as well as respect and nostalgia for traditions and ancestors.
Firecrackers produce a large amount of smoke and waste, which has a negative impact on air quality and urban health, especially in cities with severe smog, and firecrackers can exacerbate air pollution and pose a threat to people's respiratory health. According to statistics, during the Spring Festival in 2023, Beijing's air quality index (AQI) reached more than 500, which is a serious pollution level. After the implementation of the ban policy, the air quality during the Spring Festival has been significantly improved.
There are also certain safety risks associated with firecrackers, such as causing fires, injuries and other accidents, especially in densely populated and built-up areas, where the danger of setting off firecrackers is higher. According to reports, during the Spring Festival in 2023, a total of 120 fire accidents caused by fireworks and firecrackers occurred across the country, resulting in 9 deaths, 15 injuries, and direct economic losses of 1200 million yuan. In addition, there are some injuries to the eyes, fingers, ears and other parts caused by the use of inferior or illegal fireworks, or improper operation, which bring harm to people's health.
Firecrackers can also cause certain disruptions to the normal order of society and public services, such as noise pollution, traffic congestion, communication interruption, etc. Some people believe that setting off firecrackers is a disturbing behavior that affects their rest and work, especially some special groups such as the elderly, children, sick people, and pets, which are more difficult to withstand the noise of firecrackers. Others believe that setting off firecrackers will impose additional workloads on public service workers such as sanitation workers, firefighters and health workers, affecting their rest and rights, and even endangering their lives.
Some people believe that setting off firecrackers is a backward and meaningless custom that should be abolished altogether. They believe that the harm caused by firecrackers to society and individuals far outweighs the benefits, and it is not in line with the development and civilization of modern society. They advocate that strict laws and regulations should be introduced to prohibit or restrict the use of firecrackers, impose severe penalties on violators, and strengthen publicity and education for the public, improve their awareness of environmental protection and safety, and eliminate their dependence and superstition on firecrackers.
There are also those who believe that setting off firecrackers is a traditional and festive custom that should be properly preserved. They believe that setting off firecrackers is a manifestation of the cultural characteristics and national feelings of the Chinese, and cannot be banned or canceled blanketly. They advocate that reasonable fireworks regulations should be formulated according to different regions and situations, such as delineating the area, time, quantity, etc., and at the same time strengthen the supervision of the quality and safety of fireworks and firecrackers, and reduce pollution and accidents in the process of fireworks. They also called on the public to set off firecrackers in a civilized and rational manner on the premise of complying with the regulations, minimize the impact on the environment and others, and consciously clean up the garbage after fireworks, reflecting social responsibility and public morality.
Others believe that setting off firecrackers is a custom that has both advantages and disadvantages, and should be adjusted and improved according to the actual situation and the needs of society. They believe that firecrackers are not only a traditional cultural inheritance, but also an environmental and safety challenge, which cannot be generalized or set in stone. They advocate that according to scientific data and feedback from public opinion, we should constantly improve and optimize the fireworks policy, seek a balance between firecrackers and environmental protection, and encourage and support the innovation and development of fireworks and firecrackers, improve their environmental protection and safety performance, and meet people's fireworks needs and aesthetic needs.
Setting off firecrackers is a time-honored Chinese New Year custom and a controversial social phenomenon. In the face of the problems and challenges of setting off firecrackers, we should not blindly prohibit or let them go, but should analyze and evaluate them from multiple angles and levels to find a solution that can not only preserve traditional culture, but also protect the ecological environment and meet people's psychological needs. We believe that with the progress of science and technology and the progress of society, the custom of setting off firecrackers will have a better development and improvement, so that our Spring Festival will be more beautiful and happy. Should fireworks be banned during the Spring Festival?