A Yuen Long village has won approval to use simulated pyrotechnics to celebrate an ancient festival
The tradition of lighting firecrackers for Chinese festivals will be revived with a modern twist after the government banned the practice nearly four decades ago.
Ha Tsuen Heung, a village in Yuen Long, has received the approval of the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority (Tela) to set off a six-metre simulated firecracker in the Tai Ping Ching Chiu festival next month.
The firecracker, designed by a local firm, cost $30,000 and will crack for 30 seconds.
'The crackers are designed using modern special effects technology. We will be able to control the sound, smoke emission and the material used to make the crackers is fireproof,' said Andy Tang, organiser of the festival. The organising committee has also bought insurance worth $1 million.
Mr Tang said Tai Ping Ching Chiu - meaning 'the purest sacrifice celebrated for great peace' - has been held every 10 years for three centuries to pray for peace and good fortune in his village.
Firecrackers, which used to be an integral part of the festival, have been banned since the riots of 1967. The maximum penalty for breaching the ban is a fine of $25,000 and six months' imprisonment.