Gunpowder was first discovered by a Chinese Daoist alchemist, and later poured into bamboo to create the earliest firecrackers. Today, more sophisticated fireworks are used during many special events, including the Chinese New Year.

Washington will be treated to a state-of-the-art pyrotechnics event along the Potomac River, created exclusively for the opening of the festival by artist Cai Guoqiang, who has stunned onlookers from New York to Shanghai.

Called an "Explosion Event" by the artist, his spectacular display will incorporate beautifully choreographed traditional fireworks, basic primordial gunpowder and fuse, and high-tech computer-chip embedded firework shells to ignite dancing boats, floating kites, and flying fire dragons--as well as an awesome tornado spiraling across and punctuating the sky.

This is a free event, no tickets are required.

This event will take place from October 1 to 5 at every 9:50 PM regardless of inclement weather. 

(China.org.cn September 22, 2005)