On April 21, the 19th International Symposium on Fireworks (ISF) and the First Hunan (Liling) Fireworks Industry Expo grandly commenced in Liling, Hunan, China—the “Fireworks Capital of China”, and the hometown of Li Tian, the ancestral master of fireworks. Representatives from governments, enterprises, and industry experts from over 60 countries, including the United States, France, and Germany, as well as distributors and buyers from provinces such as Henan, Liaoning, Shandong, and Guangdong, gathered to promote high-quality development in the fireworks industry.

Liling is one of the main production areas of fireworks and also holds the cultural memory of the fireworks industry since Li Tian developed firecrackers. Today, in this fireworks original heartland with profound industrial heritage, a multitude of dynamic enterprises are forging modern transformation narratives for traditional craftsmanship through their distinctive resilience. As one of the core production hubs of Liling's fireworks industry, Dongfu Town operates 12 fireworks enterprises, among which 10 specializing in traditional red firecracker series, with a workforce exceeding 900 employees.

Aren´t  “Doublebang Fireracker” and “Sky Monkey” so terrific？Aren´t “Fairy Stick” and “Starry Sky Fireworks”so brilliant? Aren´t “Ground Rat” and “Little Bees” so  splendid? So amazed by  Liling´ s  traditional fireworks, the world has been even more of  the fact that those “wild”  kids who grew up setting off  such  fireworks in Liling  have already been the new entrepreneurs of the fireworks industries.

When we gaze up together at dazzling fireworks lighting up the night sky, our definitions of festivity, reunion, and romance converge in that shared moment. If grand fireworks displays represent a city’s bold expression, then Whimsical small fireworks embody the spark of joy that every individual can experience.” 

For Chinese people, the sense of ceremony is often accompanied by the crackling sound of firecrackers. During important moments, if this lively noise is missing, it always feels like something is amiss. Perhaps as early as a thousand years ago, when Li Tian, the firecrackers patriarch, ignited a bamboo tube filled with saltpeter to scare away miasma with its explosive sound, this unique noise became ingrained in the veins of the Chinese people.

Speaking of Baitutan Town in Liling, locals often joke, “Whatever Liling downtown area has, Baitutan has it all—and even what the downtown area lacks, Baitutan still possesses.” As a bustling commercial hub bordering western Jiangxi Province, Baitutan Town has long been celebrated as the “Little Hong Kong in  Liling” and the “Pearl of Eastern Hunan,” thanks to its strategic location, robust transportation networks, thriving industries, and vibrant trade.

On April 8, a coordination meeting for the 19th International Fireworks Forum and the first Hunan (Liling) Fireworks and Firecrackers Industry Expo was held. Wang Libo, member of the Standing Committee of the Zhuzhou Municipal People's Congress and Secretary of the Liling Municipal Party Committee, delivered a speech. Liu Xinhua, Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee and Mayor, presided over the meeting, while Yang Jian, Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, attended.

The 19th International Symposium on Fireworks (IFS) and the First Hunan (Liling) Fireworks Industry Expo will be held from April 21 to 25 at the International Exhibition Center of the China Ceramic Valley. 

Night in Liling

It was kissed by a firework

There were only a few spots at first

Timidly testing the depths of the night

Suddenly he felt bold

One after the other

Blossoming on an inky sky

When the romantic fireworks of Europa

Encounter the millennium kiln fire of the Oriental porcelain capital

How amazing will the collision be?

Liling in April

There will be a fireworks conversation across the mountains and oceans

There once was a mighty warrior who penned one of the most tender letters in Chinese history—just nine characters long: “The flowers bloom on the path; you may return slowly.” This man was Qian Liu, king of Wuyue during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.

A Liling fire in the sky

A porcelain soul on the ground

The Lujiang River winds past

String the green of Xianyue mountain

The Lingxiu of Zhuangyuan Island

Colorful streamers under the glaze

April in the world, the city flowers

Come to the porcelain capital Liling punch a good spring

The 19th International Fireworks Forum and the first Hunan (Liling) fireworks Industry Expo is about to be held, recently, the staff of the International Fireworks Forum and Flower Expo Executive Committee Office received a special application: a local advertising company in Liling wants to promote the upcoming exhibition free of charge.

Liling night never stingy starlight

But the brightest star

Always in the palm of a visitor's hand

Or bloom on the horizon

When the twilight closes the last golden scale by the Lujiang River

Thousands of tinder awaken along the banks of the river

On March 17, the forum for the person in charge of the fireworks enterprise in the South Township area was held in Hengxin Fireworks to re-mobilize and re-deploy the work of safety production on the international fireworks Forum and the flower Fair.

The 19th International Fireworks Forum and the First Hunan (Liling) Fireworks Industry Expo will be held from April 21 to 25, 2025, at the China Ceramic Valley International Convention and Exhibition Center. According to reports, Turandot Hotel and Dongfeng Grand Hotel, designated as primary accommodation providers, have already reserved 110 guest rooms in total.

Recently, Li Tian Town convened local fireworks enterprises for a Firework and Firecracker Production Safety Conference, alongside investment and exhibition promotion meetings for the 19th International Fireworks Forum and the First Hunan (Liling) Fireworks Industry Expo. Attendees included representatives from the Municipal Emergency Management Bureau, Fireworks General Chamber of Commerce, and Li Tian Branch.

On the afternoon of February 24, a centralized office scheduling meeting for the Executive Committee of the 19th International Fireworks Forum and the First Hunan (Liling) Fireworks Industry Expo was held, with Yang Jian, Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, in attendance.

Reporters recently learned from Liling City that the 19th International Fireworks Forum will be held in the city from April 20 to 26, alongside the inaugural Hunan (Liling) Fireworks Industry Expo.

On the afternoon of February 13, our city held a preparatory meeting for the recruitment of exhibitors for the 19th International Fireworks Forum and the First Hunan (Liling) Fireworks Industry Expo in 2025. Yang Jian, Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, emphasized the need to ensure the event is held to a high standard and with tangible results, injecting strong momentum into the high-quality development of Liling's fireworks industry.

In Liling, fireworks are the stars that paint the sky during celebrations; they are the lanterns that adorn the world during festivals; and they are the surprises that brighten ordinary days. With a sky bursting with fireworks, you can always rely on the romance that Liling's pyrotechnics bring.

Liling is renowned not only for its ceramics but also for the city-wide fireworks that weave unparalleled visual spectacles. As the fireworks intertwine with the night sky, creating vibrant and colorful scenes, they illuminate Liling’s ancient city walls and modern architecture alike. Beneath the brilliant display of fireworks, people make heartfelt wishes for a bright future.

The bustling crowd, hearty laughter, gorgeous fireworks, and lingering smoke rise in the winter night air and are reflected on the sparkling surface of the Lujiang River... This scene took place on New Year's Eve along both banks of the Liling River.

The fate between Liling and fireworks can be traced back thousands of years ago. Li Tian, known as the "ancestor of fireworks," was born here. According to legend, Li Tian, a native of Mashi village, Liling during the Tang Dynasty, created firecrackers with ingenuity and used their might to expel evil spirits. Up to now, Liling has become one of the four major production areas of fireworks in the country. The production of firecrackers accounts for as high as 70%. Pukou Town is the main production area of red firecrackers in Liling City. Among the 18 fireworks enterprises in the town, 13 are red firecracker production enterprises.

When it comes to creating romance, people from Liling are the best.

When I was young, "Zhentianlei" and "Dadihong" were in the "responsibility area" of adults. Various spraying and thread-incense types of fireworks such as "fire trees and silver flowers" and "fairy wand" were the "dominion" of children.

Traveling more than 20 kilometers east from the urban area, one arrives at Baitutang Town, a major commercial town in Liling adjacent to western Jiangxi. National Highway 106 runs through the town area, enjoying favorable geographical conditions and transportation advantages. As early as the late Qing Dynasty and the early years of the Republic of China, this was the water transportation dock and distribution center for agricultural and sideline products in eastern Liling. Due to its strong radiation and driving ability to the surrounding areas, Baitutang Town is not only one of the main production areas of Liling fireworks and firecrackers like several other towns in the eastern part of the county, but also a distribution center for raw and auxiliary materials of fireworks and firecrackers in eastern Hunan and western Jiangxi.