The reason why I say this is, on the one hand, because everyone is under increasing work and life pressure, and it is difficult to find the leisure and elegance of the past; on the other hand, it is also because many old traditions and customs are slowing down. Disappear slowly, like setting off firecrackers.
In recent years, many cities have introduced policies strictly prohibiting the setting off of fireworks and firecrackers during the Spring Festival, both for personal safety and for low-carbon and environmental protection. Of course, such a policy is very good, and we have to support it with both hands. Since we can no longer hear the sound of firecrackers, let's talk about the history of firecrackers.
Firecrackers are also called "firecrackers". As for why they are called "firecrackers", many people may not be able to answer.
As we all know, the history of firecrackers can be traced back to the legend of the "Nian Beast" in ancient times. Ancient people relied on firecrackers to drive away monsters. Although this is just a legend, it can at least prove that the concept of firecrackers already existed at that time.
But then again, the history of gunpowder can only be traced back to the Tang Dynasty. Gunpowder really began to be popularized among the people, especially in the Northern Song Dynasty. So where did the firecrackers of the ancient people come from?
It turns out that in ancient times, people dried the cut bamboos and then burned them with fire. The bamboo poles burned section by section would make a continuous bursting sound to drive away wild beasts. Until the Tang Dynasty, during the Spring Festival, people still used this method to ward off evil spirits and avoid harm. Therefore, firecrackers at that time were also called "firecrackers" or "explosive poles".
Wang Anshi's poem says: "The sound of firecrackers eliminates a year old, and the spring breeze brings warmth to Tusu." This is evidence.
During the Tang Dynasty, Taoism was prevalent, and magicians refined elixirs, of which gunpowder was a "by-product." Interestingly, the elixir that the Taoist disciples worked so hard to research was not handed down. Instead, the gunpowder formula accidentally discovered became a weapon that changed the world.
Regarding the invention of gunpowder, most history books will attribute it to the work of a group of alchemists. In fact, this is not the case. Among them, one person actually played a great role.
Who? Sun Simiao.
When seeing this name, many people will think: Sun Simiao? Isn't he the miracle doctor known as the "King of Medicine"? Yes, Sun Simiao's official identity is a doctor, but he also has a side job as a Taoist priest who refines elixirs.
Back then, Sun Simiao went to live in seclusion in the mountains around Liuyang in order to refine elixirs. Why choose here? First, it is sparsely populated, and second, there is a sulfur mine nearby, so the raw materials are easy to use.
In this way, after years of hard work, Sun Simiao finally failed to develop any elixir, but he did sum up a set of gunpowder formulas. my country's earliest firecrackers and fireworks made with gunpowder benefited from Sun Simiao's formula. Therefore, in order to commemorate him, people named the place where Sun Simiao made alchemy "Sun Yinya", "Alchemy Platform", "Medicine Washing Well" and so on.
Although firecrackers already existed in the Tang Dynasty, they really became popular in the Northern Song Dynasty. The reason was that papermaking made a major breakthrough. Before that, because paper was expensive, people could only put gunpowder in bamboo tubes. However, with the improvement of papermaking technology, people began to use rolling paper to wrap gunpowder, thus forming "firecrackers" in the modern sense.
In addition, there is an interesting legend about firecrackers.
Li Shimin, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, could not sleep at night because he was disturbed by the ghost of the evil dragon. In order to let the emperor have a good sleep, the ministers proposed to set off firecrackers outside the palace to drive away the evil dragon. But in this way, the evil dragon did not dare to come, and Emperor Taizong was also disturbed by the firecrackers and could not sleep.
What to do? At this time, Qin Shubao and Yuchi Gong took the initiative to volunteer and stand guard for Emperor Taizong at night, so that the evil dragon would not dare to come.
After a few days, Emperor Taizong felt sorry for having these two generals standing guard every night, so he asked a painter to draw their portraits and paste them on the door of the palace. Later, they became "Door God".