The technological development of Liuyang’s fireworks production techniques

Elder Tao Shuhua

Elder Tao Shuhua from Huifeng Community, Dayao Town, Liuyang, has made a living by making firecrackers for four generations. She is 84 years old this year. She has been making fireworks since she was sensible and has been doing it for 60 years. Although he is very old, the old man is still very good at drilling holes and knotting whips. Liuyang fireworks production adopts traditional manual techniques, using locally sourced soil paper, soil saltpeter, sulfur, charcoal powder, red and white soil, etc. as raw materials, with a total of 12 processes and 72 procedures. "There are many techniques for making fireworks, and most people can only master a few of them. The combination of raw materials such as sulfur and charcoal was a family secret in ancient times. Masters who mastered the formula would carefully choose their successors," Tao Shuhua said. Culture and Art

"Fireworks are not only about chemistry, but also culture and art. Fireworks makers are special painters who use the sky as painting paper, colorful fireworks as paint, and skills as brushes. This is fireworks The charm." said Li Zhongqi, a master of Chinese arts and crafts. "Most of the existing 921 fireworks factories in Liuyang City do OEM processing for foreign dealers, and internationally renowned brands are mainly concentrated in the hands of European and American dealers." said Li Xingu, former secretary of Liuyang Fireworks Bureau.

Registered trademark

OEM production means that marketing channels are controlled by foreign parties, most of the profits are taken away by foreign parties, and the foreign price of fireworks is very different from the domestic price. As a result, corporate capital accumulation is slow, affecting R&D investment, resulting in private-label products lingering at the low end of the international market for a long time. In addition, the lack of products with high technological content is also a problem currently faced by Liuyang fireworks. The price of high-quality fireworks is about 30% more expensive than ordinary products. Products with high technological content now account for a smaller proportion, and most products are still in the mid- to low-end range.

In 2004, Liuyang fireworks producers registered the trademark "Liuyang Firecrackers" with the State Administration for Industry and Commerce. In 2007, the trademark was recognized as a "China Famous Trademark" by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce. In 2006, Eastcom Fireworks established a company in New Jersey, USA, and sold US$5 million of fireworks products under the Eastcom Fireworks trademark. In 2007, Liuyang Fireworks Enterprise successfully registered the Wenhua Mountain trademark in Europe.