When did the custom of setting off firecrackers in the Spring Festival begin?

The custom of setting off firecrackers in the Spring Festival began in the Han Dynasty. According to "The Story of Meng Jing Times" written by Nan Liang Zonggu, "On the first day of the first month ... the rooster crowed, and people set off firecrackers in front of the court to drive away evil spirits from Shan Yao." In ancient times, firecrackers were set off by burning bamboo in a fire. Because the air in bamboo expands due to heat, it makes a crackling sound to ward off evil spirits, hoping for good luck and happiness in the coming year.

It is said that there was a fierce monster called Nian in ancient times. It came out to harm people on New Year's Eve, but it was afraid of noise, red and fire. The purpose of setting off firecrackers in the Spring Festival is to drive away evil spirits and drive away the New Year.

In the Song Dynasty, after the ancestors invented gunpowder, there appeared "fire" and "explosion" of "wrapping gunpowder in paper and igniting it", which became the embryonic form of today's rocket. Some firecrackers are also made into images of fruits or characters and become toys, which are very interesting to set off. "In addition to firecrackers, the spring breeze warms Tu Su, and thousands of families always exchange new peaches for old ones." Wang Anshi's poem "January Day" has also spread to this day.

There is a folk saying called "setting off firecrackers". That is, when the new year comes, the first thing for every household to open the door is to set off firecrackers to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new. Firecracker is a specialty of China, also known as "Firecracker", "Firecracker" and "Firecracker".

Nowadays, most people think that setting off firecrackers can create a festive atmosphere, which is a kind of entertainment in festivals and can bring happiness and good luck to people. With the passage of time, firecrackers are more and more widely used, and there are more and more varieties and colors.