Prev
Next

Chinese Lunar New Year: a hotbead of pyromania

Katherine Danks

by Katherine Danks

10 Feb 05:50am

Must Reads

If sports movies have taught us anything, NSW will win - this is a caption

If sports movies have taught us anything, NSW will win

50

Schapelle has done her time - this is a caption

Schapelle has done her time

182

Do women need to know when to walk away? - this is a caption

Do women need to know when to walk away?

73

Filed under: China, Festivals, Lunar New Year, World

58 comments

Chinese Lunar New Year is just three days away and Beijing is once again preparing to become a hotbed of pyromania.

Burning off at Guiyuan Buddhist Temple . Picture: AFP.

Residents have been busily stockpiling firecrackers to set off on Chinese Lunar New Year’s Eve, which this year falls on February 13, and on New Year’s Day.

Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, is all about reuniting with family, and a typical Lunar New Year’s Eve might include a special dinner and setting off firecrackers at midnight to welcome in the new year, which this year will be the Year of the Tiger.

Many Chinese love firecrackers and have used them during celebrations for thousands of years. The official Xinhua News Agency reported that firecrackers used during last Chinese New Year produced explosions so powerful that at times Beijing had “the feel of downtown Baghdad”.

It all sounds like great fun in an unnerving, too-close-for-comfort sort of way. I find that simple tasks like crossing the road can sometimes be an extreme sport in this city, so the idea of a firecracker free-for-all makes me slightly anxious.

Perhaps this is because my experience with celebratory fireworks has been largely limited to strictly controlled displays in Sydney and the occasional handheld sparkler.

I vaguely remember firecracker night when I was growing up but those street parties stopped when firecrackers were banned in NSW after people blew off their fingers or suffered other injuries.

According to Beijing law, all residents can set off firecrackers on Lunar New Year’s Eve and on New Year’s Day. In addition, residents within the city’s urban area can set off firecrackers between 7am and midnight everyday until Lantern Festival on February 28.

The firecrackers are supposed to be used in restricted areas, including cordoned off streets, and you cannot use them near protected cultural buildings, public transport junctions and petrol stations but these can be difficult laws to police.

Today, the charred, skeletal remains of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in the city’s central business district are a grim reminder about what can happen when fireworks get out of control.

The newly built, luxury hotel was destroyed in a fire that was sparked by an ambitious fireworks display last Spring Festival. The fireworks were organized nearby by State broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV) to mark the end of the Lunar New Year and it’s alleged organizers used powerful Class A fireworks that are banned within the city limits.

The fire killed 29-year-old firefighter Zhang Jianyong and seven other people. Xu Wen, a former CCTV senior official, has been in criminal detention for almost a year.

Official statistics show that firecrackers caused injuries to about 400 people during the Lunar New Year festival in 2008.

In 2006, the Beijing municipal government permitted the use of firecrackers during Spring Festival after continued public pressure. It had outlawed firecrackers entirely in 1993 because of safety and environmental concerns.

Factories and vendors that make or sell firecrackers must first obtain licenses from the government. However they are often expensive and there is a rampant underground trade of illegal fireworks, which are of poor quality and sold at half the price as those in licensed stores.

Firecracker activity is at its heaviest on Lunar New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, on the fifth day of the new year which is believed to be the birthday of the God of Wealth, and on Lantern Festival.

Most commented

427Australia, you have nothing to fear but fear itself
359There's no one Thomson won't burn to save his skin
353"Gifting", "journey" and other words we hate
313Thomson didn't answer the question everyone is asking
294Animal experiments won't cure me from cancer
262Who murdered the Arts degree?
246A big day for Thomson, who thus far is guilty of nothing...
231South Australia. It's the middle bottom bit.

58 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • leftOZ says:

      11:55pm | 10/02/10

      we play firecrackers just for fun for thousands of years, even the most powerful govn in the world do not dare to do anything to the habit. That’s All

      Reply

    • dylan says:

      10:39pm | 10/02/10

      Oh boo hoo Zeta, you forget that China is a developing country with the largest population on earth, attacked and colonised over the past 100 years and you’re comparing it with Australia, a prosperous developed country with no history of invasion?? Well perhaps of its indigenous people maybe.

      Of course, China has to have a different, more authoritarian system of government to maintain basic civil order?  But in the meantime, it’s given its people the most important human right of them all - the right to live well and prosper

      It’s ignorant comments like yours that do a real disservice to intelligent debate, I’m afraid.

      Reply

    • Mike says:

      08:50pm | 10/02/10

      @Georgie. Yeah, having spent a great deal of time in China, I have a pretty good idea why. What you say in your post is pretty spot on. and @zeta and the rest: to criticise China in the way that you have been makes you as dogmatic as you think They are, wouldn’t you say? Go there, see for yourself and get back to us. Live and let live…
      Anyway, to all our Zhong Guo de Pengyou: Xin nian kuai le! ???????

      Reply

    • georgie says:

      07:14pm | 10/02/10

      To those who are bagging out chinain 2010 , You guys have no idea what you are saying do you?

      I would say China has more freedom than Australia to be absolutely honest despite what everybody believes.
      Freedom does not affect everyday life in China..I can assure you can do what ever you want in china as long as you don’t hurt anyone or publically insult the goverment.
      There is way way way too much political correctness, rules and restrictions in Australia which hamper its modernization.
      In China you can do whatever you desire, that is why they make big bucks.

      China is much much more modern than Australia and you know why? They can build a high speed railroad from beijing to guangzhou which is more than 2000km in 5 year. Australia cant even build a simple apartment block in that time. They had turned a tiny poverty ridden fishing villages to huge a modern metropolises with subways and one of the worlds largest financial centers eg Shenzhen

      Those who are ridiculing China, You are the ones missing out, not the Chinese. They know how to work hard and play hard. In fact most newly arrived Chinese immigrants see Australia as a backward place..Any ideas why?

      Reply

    • iansand says:

      08:36am | 11/02/10

      In China how do you protect your rights?  Can you not sue or be sued?

      There are certainly commercial cultural differences, and the western idea of fixed contracts that cannot readily be renegotiated is contrary to Chinese ideas of doing business.  That, for a westerner, can be hard to adapt to.  However if I do business in China I expect to play by Chinese rules.  Some Chinese business people who come to Australia are unwilling to play by Australian rules.  That may be why the see the place as “backward”, but it is just different.

      Each system has its advantages and disadvantages.  Neither is inherently superior.  Chinese contracts are short and allow for adaptation to changing circumstances but they do not provide long term certainty.  Western contracts provide long term certainty but the parties can be unequally disadvantaged if circumstances change. 

      Western businesspeople are more likely to be direct and speak their mind, so all concerns are on the table and are dealt with reasonably quickly.  Chinese businesspeople are less direct.  The negotiation process is something where I definitely prefer the Western system.  I sometimes find the Chinese process of endlessly revisiting negotiations frustrating and tedious, and I am never sure that what I think is the deal is actually what the other side thinks is the deal.  That is partly a problem of dealing through interpreters but it is also a result of the practice of not finalising as much as possible at the beginning of the relationship and leaving difficult areas to be worked out later.

      And I can still criticise my government.

    • jo wu says:

      02:03am | 11/02/10

      iansand
      you know what in australia i am scare of people/business sue me so i like everyone else do nothing. Do you know how scare it is.
      Australia is nice and have a better political system no doubt about that but china is not as bad as western media made to be.

    • iansand says:

      08:26pm | 10/02/10

      In Australia, and other democracies, I can publicly insult the government.

      End of argument.

    • 6clegs says:

      04:06pm | 10/02/10

      Oh crikey, sorry “Sam’‘, i didn’t realise that i had to refresh the page every couple of minutes in case someone asked me a question!
      By your demands it’s easy to see that, Yep, you certainly have lived/worked in China - you have the bossing strangers about thing down pat. wink
      As have i, before, during, and after the games. (the lungs are still recovering)

      Reply

    • Zeta says:

      03:59pm | 10/02/10

      Yo Katherine I’m sorry for de-railing your contribution with silly Chinese propagandist satire. You’re probably going to WTF all over the place when you wake up Beijing time and find out this is what your thoughtful piece on Chinese fireworks displays devolved into.

      @ Sam - For starters, I’m a dude, and if you think stephen might be crushing on me, that’s totally cool. But I’m flamboyantly heterosexual. It will have to be an un-requieted thing.

      I might try and belittle important personages and entire countries, cultures, and ways of life, but I don’t tell people they’re douchebags because they don’t agree with me.

      Your arguement in favour of Chinese Socialism seems to be that you’ve been there, you didn’t think it was too bad, so therefore, it’s not. You also don’t seem to value political freedom as much as I do. That’s fine. Not everyone does. Not every one has a tattoo of Robert Menzies shaking hands with Churchill on their buttocks (when I squeeze them together, it looks like Churchill is whispering a funny joke into Menzies’ ear) and that’s fine too. I’m not going to call you a douchebag for that. Have you ever seen a douche? Ever used one? You might as well call me Soaphat. Or refreshing feeling of total cleanliness bag. I guess that’s the reason The Punch Gods let the comment through. It’s not even that offensive really.

      I just find it strange that anyone would defend China against a silly, satirical attack. Even against the secondary, serious attack that they are: morally bankrupt, freedom hating dictators. China is more than capable of defending itself against attacks. Especially on the internet, where their Most Glorious Hacker Collectives make rape upon Western Devil Servers every time Google threatens to stop participating in their censorship regime.

      We couldn’t have this arguement in China. That really ends the arguement don’t you think? Western society has its fair share of flaws, but those flaws are because of its people. People aren’t perfect, and our system allows for that. And when those flaws become a part of our political system, we have mechanisms for changing leaders and inquiring into our bureaucracies.

      That is the fundamental difference between us and China. They are stuck with what they have and only violent revolution will change it.

      I can think of a lot of bad things Australian and American Government have given us. I think of the Vietnam War, Australian and American collusion in East Timor leading to near genocide, the failed War on Iraq, unbridled banking greed leading to near depression… but we know about all those things. We know because we have free journalists and individuals who bring them to light without fear of reprisals, and we have elections to clear out corruption and incompetence. We can heal after our mistakes because of this.

      Compare this to China. What of their mistakes do we even get to know about? Their official story is that only some 200 people died after the Tianenman Square massacre, after it was excised from school history books. They admit even less were killed in Tibet. They deny having black prisons where dissidents are held for what ammount to thought crimes. They deny the organ harvesting of political enemies, and the testing of chemical weapons against Ughyrs, even as evidence mounts to the contrary. Evidence that is nigh on impossible to obtain because of their iron curtain.

      They’re indefensible. Not because the scale of their atrocities are any worse than ours, but because the leaders responsible have been allowed to flourish instead of being brought to heel by a free press.

      Reply

    • Sam says:

      11:56am | 11/02/10

      @Zeta, and last but not least. The “Two Systems, One China” policy announcement in 1997 regarding Hong Kong is the clearest example to date of the ample wisdom of the CCP. I haven’t heard of anything that can even compare with that sort of flexibility coming from a democratic country, and you label them “a murderous regime” and “dictatorship”? I can see where the propaganda is actually coming from.

      They are amazing, and we need to learn from them.

    • Sam says:

      11:29am | 11/02/10

      @Zeta,

      “They deny the organ harvesting of political enemies, and the testing of chemical weapons against Ughyrs, even as evidence mounts to the contrary. Evidence that is nigh on impossible to obtain because of their iron curtain. “

      Aha, so the non-existent mounting evidence is impossible to obtain? Are you Irish?

    • Sam says:

      11:26am | 11/02/10

      @Zeta,

      “They are stuck with what they have and only violent revolution will change it.”

      Wrong again. Deng Xiaoping changed Chinese policies significantly enough without compromising security, sovereignty, party leadership, or a hint violence. Today, China is still evolving and adapting according to its needs and aspirations, all under the one leadership. Maybe the Chinese can argue without getting violent. Maybe it’s us who see violence as the easy way to change our circumstances.

    • Sam says:

      11:14am | 11/02/10

      @Zeta,

      “Western society has its fair share of flaws, but those flaws are because of its people. People aren’t perfect, and our system allows for that. And when those flaws become a part of our political system, we have mechanisms for changing leaders and inquiring into our bureaucracies.”

      OK, so we’ve identified that “people aren’t perfect”. So should we ignore this when designing a political system or considering the available alternatives? No, we shouldn’t. We should find a way to minimise our exposure to this “weakness” (perhaps listen to the voices but don’t rely on their distribution for decision making!). Instead, democracy exposes many important national policy decisions to this very weakness. We can’t erect a fence around our home without it being subject to the opinions of some old fart who lives 400 meters away!!! And we’ll certainly never have a water pipeline from QLD to VIC.

      Changing leadership and inquiring into our bureaucracies won’t fix the fundamental flaw, which is listening to the 2 year old and then relying on their uninformed opinion.

    • Sam says:

      11:06am | 11/02/10

      @Zeta,

      “We couldn’t have this arguement in China. That really ends the arguement don’t you think?”

      Well actually, yes we could, but we couldn’t *publish* the transcript because it could unnecessarily influence people’s right to form their own opinions in due course rather than being told what to think by those holy independent journalists sent from above.

    • jo wu says:

      01:52am | 11/02/10

      Tiananman square insident is only 20 years old i do not know about australia, but chinese do not put 20 years old event into histroy study.  And discrepancy in report of no of people died is no difference to discrepancy of US official report of and charity/non-profit orgization in Iraq.
      many chinese may not fond of commism but chinese are practic and they know there is no alternative party/people that can manage this country and they acknowledge communist governent has done a good job in lift many people of of proverty so so long government is still to focus on economic, most of chinese would let government stay. Get out of proverty, a stable and peaceful environment to lift people out of proverty is more important for most of chinese than ideology. 
      western journalist may looks like they are free but they are not, they have editors, bosses and they have their own interest, ideology.people see what they want to see, journalist is no exceptions.
      i could address every point of yours but that would be too long. I just want to address one last thing human network.  human being is social being, we need socialty. someone get unfair advertage, but thats not limited to china. WHy so many US president are relatives!!!! i think every austalian heard “its not what you know but who you know”

    • John says:

      02:45pm | 10/02/10

      Anyway, Happy Chinese New Year everyone

      Reply

    • Bob says:

      03:59pm | 10/02/10

      Yes, Gong Xi Fat Choy!  Or, as I used to tease our Chinese translators, Gong Xi Bok Choy!

    • Sam says:

      03:07pm | 10/02/10

      Here here. A toast, to more prosperity and less taxes. (we live in hope)

    • stephen says:

      02:28pm | 10/02/10

      I agree with Zeta, except the bit about Kyle Sandilands being a genius comic. (Now that’s fireworks).

      Reply

    • Sam says:

      02:44pm | 10/02/10

      @stephen, a perfect example of the kind of stupid opinions we get in our “democracy”.

      “I agree with Zeta” (I hope she thinks I’m cool, I wonder what she looks like, do you think she’ll talk to me) - what a douchebag, please don’t vote until you grow a brain.

    • 6clegs says:

      02:06pm | 10/02/10

      um. i’ve forgotten. what was this thread about, again?

      @ “John”, mate, me thinks it’s you or anyone that would happily live in China ‘‘without hesitation’’ that’s lost the plot.

      Reply

    • Sam says:

      02:40pm | 10/02/10

      @6clegs, no chance of “losing” the plot if you never had one in the first place. We’re still waiting for your response. Been there? what’s your gripe with a place you’ve never been? or have you?

    • Bob says:

      02:16pm | 10/02/10

      I have, and would again. I fear the pollution much more than the politics.

      Don’t get me wrong, I love and prefer Australia, but modern China is nothing like the propaganda suggests.

    • John says:

      02:11pm | 10/02/10

      Well 6clegs, have you been there and experienced the country first hand, or are you just listening to the media propaganda. I worked in the media for 8 years, and believe me, it is all smoke and mirrors and very little truth

    • iansand says:

      01:58pm | 10/02/10

      I could live in China if I had grown up there and knew the extent to which I could bend and ignore the law.  I could live there if I was sure that my network was stronger and better connected than the other bloke’s network.  I could live there if I was prosperous.

      The consequences of getting these things wrong can be very severe.

      Reply

    • iansand says:

      03:37pm | 10/02/10

      Sam.  Consequences are a lot more severe.  One of my local contacts spent 8 months in prison last year, without charge, essentially because his network was trumped by a rival’s.  Last week an expat contact narrowly avoided a couple of weeks in prison because he accidentally did not follow protocols after a minor traffic accident.  For that one his network worked.

      And if you blow it really badly you can be shot in the back of the head for a business deal gone wrong.

    • Sam says:

      02:36pm | 10/02/10

      @iansand, alright I’ll bite that bait.

      (1) You bend and ignore the law here don’t you? ever crossed the street without a “green man” giving you permission? ever driven at 65km/hr in a 60km/hr zone? what makes you think that you’d be executed in China if you broke their corresponding laws? You can get away with some things, but not others, isn’t it the same here?
      (2) Regarding people with networks, some people need to understand that we’re not single entities competing with other single entities. Network building is a skill, and if you don’t get political, you may be outflanked by somobody who did. Machiavelli said that you can’t divorce yourself from politics in everyday life, so what do you know, politics is everywhere. Ever been married? Ever had to listen to your wife complain about something your mother said? Politics is everywhere, and last resort is to join the other guy’s network rather than fight a battle you can’t win. That’s life and it’s fair. Individuals live within a community that supports them. Take away that community’s support, and you’ll be shovelling shit uphill in any context. And there’s no point in predicting the potential struggles without predicting the potential synergies, that’s just pessimistic.
      (3) You could be prosperous if you apply yourself. It would be the same here if it wasn’t for that bloody taxman. With so much traffic passing you by every minute, you can’t not become rich if only you have something of value to offer. Worst case scenario, you could sell hot dogs (or something similar) and make as much as someone in junior to middle management. I’m telling you, the cities in China are a wash with cash changing hands. The multiplier effect means everyone has a chance to be prosperous as long as they have something of value to offer their community. There is no prosperity for those who have nothing to give, but you probably do, so again, why such a pessimistic outlook. I think you should be more confident of your ability.

      The consequence are similar across the world. If you don’t get an education, you’re relegated to manual labour. If you don’t show up to work, you get sacked. If you don’t impress, you don’t get a promotion. If you don’t strive for something better, you’ll stay where you are at best. Unless you sell drugs or commit murder or become politically active, the consequences are very similar.

    • Sam says:

      01:45pm | 10/02/10

      and pay less than 5% income tax. Isn’t that empowering and encouraging? If you work, you can actually get somewhere in your life. I wish I could have my job in China, and not be relegated to just teaching English. With all the extra disposable income, I could easily come back to Australia for a holiday whenever I miss the fresh air, then again Thailand or Vietnam is more appealing for a holiday anyway.

      If the only constants in life are death and taxes, does that mean they are one and the same?

      Reply

    • John says:

      01:59pm | 10/02/10

      Well said Sam, I agree with you whole heartedly

    • John says:

      01:29pm | 10/02/10

      Zeta you have lost the plot,  please reserve a ticket on Air China and go and vists one of the most fantastic nations on earth. I for one could live there without hesitation.

      Reply

    • Sam says:

      01:10pm | 10/02/10

      @Zeta,

      “China is the antithesis of free and open Western society. Nothing they do can be celebrated until they abandon Chinese socialism and embrace democracy.”

      What a crock of nonsense, sounds like you’re the propaganda machine. Why should they give up their 10%GDP growth in favour of our measly 3% (if we’re lucky, and only more if the Chinese buy from us rather than from someone else). What’s the point in adopting democracy for the sake democracy’s sake? Even democracy advocates admit that it’s far less efficient for making decisions and actually getting stuff done.

      Why don’t we have a water pipeline from Queensland through outback NSW and into Northern Vic and possibly into outback SA? because of democracy.

      Why did we (and the whole world) fail in Copenhagen? because of democracy.

      Why aren’t we out of Iraq and Afghanistan yet? because democracy is a facade for suckers.

      Why is abortion still an issue in the 21st century, and women’s rights are still debated? because of democracy and the need to cater for the Christian right.

      Why is euthanasia still an issue, and people’s right to a dignified death in the case of terminal illness still debated? refer above.

      Why don’t we have enough police to patrol our streets and train stations? because funding the police is the responsibility of the state government and our federal government could hardly care less about whether we are safe or not. If we’re alive, we’ll be taxed, that’s the extent of their burden of responsibility. Only in a democracy could you have this kind of buck passing.

      Why don’t we have better equipped public hospitals (given that we deserve something in return for our taxes)? Again, democracy creates the ideal situation for buck passing. It’s a state responsibility and the states cry poor. The federal government would step in, but only if they’re given control. End result, nothing gets done, same old same old.

      Democracy is a flawed concept. It’s assumption that every person’s opinion is of equal value is the height of bad judgement.

      Reply

    • Sam says:

      07:56am | 11/02/10

      @Dognuts, there is no causal relationship between political systems and standards of living. Just because the countries that developed guns first and used them to slaughter the rest of the world a few hundred years ago have now turned to democracy, doesn’t mean their wealth came from that democracy. Short memory my fellow, short memory.

    • Dognuts says:

      04:12pm | 10/02/10

      Yes, such a ridiculous concept democracy…............who needs freedom to pretty much do as you please when there’s GDP growth of 10%!! Having been to China several times, I gather that it’s fan club here were living the kind of privileged existence most expats/tourists have in a foreign country. While I agree it’s hardly the pit of communist evil some make it out to be, the majority are not well off, do not have proper access to basic services and many are consigned to generational poverty with no chance to break free. Last time I checked, that kind of thing is not what the majority are subject to in Australia

    • dylan says:

      12:55pm | 10/02/10

      I’d agree with Sam there. All too common ridiculous stereotypes of life in China abound in this country.  People should visit China first before ridiculing it or peddling this kind of nonsense

      Truth is the Chinese people are enjoying the most personal freedom they’ve had in thousands of years. And stability and peace - far better than a lot of so-called democratic developing country. It has still some way to go in terms of political liberalisation but no country is going to be perfect, especially a developing one with 1.3 billion people.

      Reply

    • Sam says:

      12:26pm | 10/02/10

      @Zeta, you haven’t got a clue. China kicks arse. Nowhere in the Western world can you experience that kind of freedom. The only restriction is on political opposition. Did you know that there is no legal drinking age in China? Total freedom (except for political opposition), and no daylight robbery disguised as taxes to feed those who think they are entitled to food and accommodation just because they are “citizens”. What kind of a “citizen” agrees to live without contributing to their society? We have to put up with sub-standard education, sub-standard health services, and sub-standard public transport despite the taxes we pay. At least in China, you get what you pay for.

      I happened to be in a Qantas about to land in Beijing just after midnight on the 6th Feb 2008. I could see fireworks in every direction, not just one central fireworks display over an iconic bridge or something. To say that it was a spectacular sight, wouldn’t do it justice. It was like another world. A world where everyone celebrated being alive without a free concert to entice them to remember how much luckier they were than some others around the globe. Unfortunately for me, by the time I’d enquired about my luggage which hadn’t arrived and got out of customs, the streets were deserted again. Later I found out that everyone was at home with their family eating something which carried symbolic value (I think it was pears or some kind of dumpling). There were no mischievous drunken louts roaming the streets upto no good. An entirely wholesome celebration in anticipation of another year of prosperity (and the work that leads to that off-course). Contrast that with “Sensation” - dress in white - snort white - get stabbed or overdose! I rest my case. If communism leads to what they have and democracy leads to what we have, then they’re kicking our arse aren’t they? What do we have that they don’t? the ability to criticise our government? they’ve got that. The ability to initiate change for the sake of change rather than addressing the underlying issues that may or may not warrant the change? Yeah, we’ve got that unfortunately. Ask the voters if they have got the “change” that they wanted when they ousted Howard in favour of Rudd? Same old same old, just a different label on the same old same old.

      Why can’t some people learn from those who are ahead of us, at least in certain aspects. So it’s more crowded, it’s more polluted, it’s more cut-throat competition to get a university place, and if you want to see the doctor for your sore throat, it’ll cost you… and you can’t start a revolution just because you’ve finally realised that your opinion means squat. I can live with that. However, I am finding it hard to save for a house because the taxman is robbing me blind. I got a good raise recently, but the taxman is taking half of it!!! HALF!!! Crikey, what am I getting for all these taxes?

      I wish some people would realise that there are some valuable lessons to be learnt from China. Not everything, but some things. I’m not saying China is perfect, but it certainly doesn’t deserve to be ridiculed. It does deserve to be taken seriously.

      To be honest, ridiculing China smells like a mix of jealousy and racism. Too bad they’re rich now, it’s a lot harder to be racist towards people who drive nice cars and live in nice suburbs, than towards those who peddle drugs and drive hotted-up commodores.

      If you believe you have a soul, consider there’s definitely a soul through those lovely slanted eyes. I found a lot of kindness in China, not unlike Australia. They’re far from “Godless commies”, but some people don’t bother to look beneath the surface.

      Your short-sightedness is your loss not theirs.

      Xin Nian Hao Zhong Guo (Happy New Year China).
      Au Da Li Ya Shi Ni De Peng You (Australia is your friend)

      I happened to be in a Qantas landing into Beijing around midnight

      Reply

    • Sam says:

      01:15pm | 10/02/10

      @Zeta, yes, you’re funny.

    • Zeta says:

      01:10pm | 10/02/10

      Bourgeois Devil Zeta fail in foolhardy Glorious People’s Republic critiscism. Most splendid People’s Republic resplendent with virtues peace and harmony. Nowhere Western Pig World can such freedom enjoyed happy workers. Hated democracy burden taken by loving Chinese Communist Party fathers. Evil Welfare Satan abolished, wealth given happy worker for great justice.

      Behold, glorious February celebration of splendid sky light greatness from Australian plane marked with hated Jumping Pig. Gaze upon most glorious China city, breath deep most gracious gift of industrial oxygen and enjoy hope filled crowd of eager worker.

      At home, hated capitalist swine gyrate on powder drug and slit throat of neighbour!

      Those ridicule Glorious Peoples Republic make hate speech and great jealously for Communist Party wealth and power!

      Australia will be great friend of Glorious Peoples Republic!

    • John says:

      12:49pm | 10/02/10

      I agree with Sam, Zeta get off your high horse and go and visit China, you might learn something

    • Zeta says:

      12:00pm | 10/02/10

      @ Firecracker - when it comes to China, everything is political. It is a political party, not an independent public service, that regulates every aspect of daily life for billions of Chinese. That people are ‘allowed’, for one day, to celebrate anything means an equilibrium exists between the CCP’s public relations agenda and national security interests. So throwing a firecracker at all on Feb 13 is not an expression of freedom, it’s just another reflection of State control.

      @ Bob - If everyone had to justify their sense of humour, Kyle Sandilands, the Australia’s 21st Century comic genius would have had to quit his radio show and go into hiding after issuing a long winded, PR vetted apology (oh, wait…) It’s not an ideological difference either. That an ideological difference might exist implies ideology on behalf of the Chinese. There is none. Even Deng Xiaoping theory is still a method of control, and pays only lip service to Lenin, Marx and Mao Zedong thought.

      They are a dictatorship, and history tells us dictatorships quickly shed ideology in favour of realpolitik. In a Western Democracy, realpolitik means Conservatives like Howard occassionally create super departments, or hand out a baby bonus contrary to their core ideology. But in China, the most populous nation in the history of humankind, it means total repression of human rights to protect the interests of the CCP from a revolution, or the influence of bourgeois liberalism.

      China is the antithesis of free and open Western society. Nothing they do can be celebrated until they abandon Chinese socialism and embrace democracy.

      In the mean time, may their propaganda machine continue to be unintentionally hilarious.

      Reply

    • Dan says:

      10:56pm | 10/02/10

      Right. Whatever you say. Have you ever been to China? Probably not.  To say that ‘nothing they do can be celebrated until they abandon Chinese socialism and embrace democracy’ is absurd. Putting aside the fact that they are capitalist and not socialist or capitalist (not that it matters), if you will only celebrate democracies, you won’t have too many countries to celebrate. China has made some extraordianry leaps and bounds in recent years, not the least of which has been lifting millions of people out of poverty, but let’s not celebrate that. No, it’s far better to be blinded by ideology.

      BTW, just for your information, they are NOT a dictatorship. They are an oligarchy. There’s a difference. Do your research before you write ridiculous posts lie this.

    • Iva Bigwon says:

      02:30pm | 10/02/10

      Is this an essay for Introductory Ideology 101?

      Where do you find the time?

    • Peter says:

      02:26pm | 10/02/10

      Funny:  In China light Firecrackers and the Government says this is good, but say a word against the Government and you go to Jail.

      In Australia say a word against the government is good,  but light a Firecracker and go to Gaol.

      What a farce this political correctness is.

    • Bob says:

      12:57pm | 10/02/10

      So many words, so little understanding.

    • formersnag says:

      12:46pm | 10/02/10

      Zeta, while i might agree with all you have said about china, it is worth remembering, the “realpolitik” that was going on in QLD/OZ when crackers were banned back in the 70’s.

      We did not do, crackers on Chinese new year, but “Guy Fawkes” night to commemorate corrupt, incompetent politicians everywhere. It was a reenactment of the night when that hero of history tried to blow up the British parliament. Joh Petersen was in power & i think he was far more concerned about the irreverence of “Guy Fawkes night” than the safety of children playing with crackers. I say lets start a political protest movement to bring back cracker night and remind all pollies how unpopular they really are at the moment.

    • What says:

      12:43pm | 10/02/10

      I don’t think you’ve ever been to China, let alone read a book on the country, therefore your opinion is invalid. Keep on believing everything in the media, and those scary One Nation fliers warning us against trading with “Communist China”

    • John says:

      11:24am | 10/02/10

      I have been interested in Chinese culture for many years and have seen first hand both in China and Sydney the celebrations of Chinese New Year, it is a wonderful spectacle and something we should all embrace. Don’t knock it until you have experienced it in China itself.

      Reply

    • Jack Thomas says:

      03:34pm | 10/02/10

      Thanks Kevin, sorry John.

      Great argument that one, wished it had been used with the Nazi’s because then we’d have been much snappier dressers and all be driving nice Audi’s. Oh well.

      I thought the right wingers were supposed not to have a sense of humour, what’s with the po-faced responses to the only funny posting here (Zeta)? The irony of Bob stating “so little understanding” is crushing, I have to stay seated for a while. Can anyone miss the mark by a galaxy?

    • Bob says:

      11:08am | 10/02/10

      Zeta, I have lived in a number of countries that have repressive regimes, including the PRC and Muslim theocracies. Despite the ideological differences of their governments to ours I found the general population to be much the same as us. Just people trying live, eat and raise families with only a passing concern of how their system works. Today they are celebrating regardless of the risks and in spite of their regulations.

      Usually your humour is insightful, but today your aim is off.

      Reply

    • Firecracker says:

      10:55am | 10/02/10

      Lighten up, if these people are having fun and no one is hurt why make an issue out of nothing. Not everything is political. In Life we all need some fun time or why bother living at all?

      Reply

    • nic says:

      10:22am | 10/02/10

      What an informative article /sarc. In all of that you never really explained why they let off firecrackers, yes, an explanation does exist.

      Reply

    • Ish says:

      09:36am | 10/02/10

      @ Zeta really you’re being a douche

      I was in Manilla when I was 9 or 10 for New Years Eve and we were at a private estate and they had heaps of fireworks going off and it was brilliant fun I even got to light some of them. I agree with Caz and Steve Smith, just because the Chinese are having a bit of fun why come along and knock them for it?

      Reply

    • MW says:

      11:32am | 10/02/10

      @ Zeta: you’re posts are hilarious, please ignore Ish and continue.

    • Zeta says:

      10:03am | 10/02/10

      Because if you can’t poke fun at a repressive, monolithic, corrupt, murderous communist regime, what can you poke fun at?

      If you live under such a regime, or participate in it, then the very concept of ‘fun’ is moot. You’re only having fun because they’re letting you, as beautifully illustrated by Katherine Dank’s article.

    • Steve Smith says:

      08:31am | 10/02/10

      Definition of fireworks = fun. Just because we live in a communist country with all these rules to ensure the safety of dumb people, doesn’t mean we should mock other countries when they do so. Just imagine the millions of childrens having fun lighting up a firecracker and then running for cover like they just googled Tiananmen Square. Great Times.

      Reply

    • Zeta says:

      09:10am | 10/02/10

      Definition of fireworks for Australian Pig Dog Comment - Ultimate Explosive Joy Manifestation. No Dumb Most Glorious Revolutionary Workers, only Brave Pyrotechnic Solider Child on Most Resplendant Firecracker Day. Tiananmen Square light up most excellent technicolour in memory of Brave Tank Victory over Anarchist blockade. American Search Devil reveal only truth of glorious Tank Victory!

    • Caz says:

      06:27am | 10/02/10

      I bet it’s a wonderful festival where millions of families have loads of fun. Please can the media Stop being the fun police!

      Reply

    • Jack Thomas says:

      03:15pm | 10/02/10

      How is Stern Hu going anyway?

      Kevin 07 and his sidekick old whatsisname have managed to bury that one, hope the Chinese haven’t done the same.

    • Zeta says:

      08:10am | 10/02/10

      Glorious Revolutionary Workers ensure fun made swiftly. Any efficent work maker not fun having or participating Most Glorious Firecracker Enjoyment Celebration will be swiftly re-education. People’s Pyrotechnic Extravaganza put Western Devil New Years for shame. American Pig Dog Superbowl Fireworks nothing to Glorious Revolutionary Display.

 
Comment

Facebook Recommendations

Read all about it

Punch live

Up to the minute Twitter chatter

Daniel Piotrowski

drpiotrowski 24 May 12 04:14PM

RT @Colgo: Read this article on commas. Then see the correction at the end. Ooof! http://t.co/ZkLs6494

Paul Colgan

Colgo 24 May 12 04:13PM

Read this article on commas. Then see the correction at the end. Ooof! http://t.co/ZkLs6494

Paul Colgan

Colgo 24 May 12 03:57PM

And here is a picture of a fox cub with its little head stuck in a can http://t.co/bDsY351x

ToryShepherd

ToryShepherd 24 May 12 03:20PM

RT @cuisinemagazine: Yep, there's always a time for rubbish bread “@ToryShepherd: Imagine a world with multigrain at the sausage sizzle... http://t.co/0K4JyWKH”

See all tweets

Recent posts

The latest and greatest

Protecting the Barrier Reef is the Fin end of the wedge

by Tony Burke

33

Protecting the Barrier Reef is the Fin end of the wedge

When you take on a job like being Environment Minister there’s some hits you can see coming. …

ICB: Is white bread the worst thing since sliced bread?

by Tory Shepherd

89

ICB: Is white bread the worst thing since sliced bread?

Welcome to this week’s I Call Bullshit column. It’s a regular column that looks at skulduggery…

Sometimes, you’ve just got to stick it to the bloody ref

by Anthony Sharwood

64

Sometimes, you’ve just got to stick it to the bloody ref

We are taught early in life that we should not question authority. We must listen to our parents, our…

Light weight

Gentle jabs to the ribs

They must pay for one’s bitter disappointments

They must pay for one’s bitter disappointments

A private school girl’s family is sueing her elite, extremely expensive private school for not… Read more

243 comments

Newsletter

Read all about it

Sign up to the free daily Punch newsletter

Subscribe to The Punch RSS feed