Many different countries lay claim to this wondrous feat but who really invented fireworks? Most people agree that the first recorded instances occurred in China during the 9th century around the Song Dynasty due to the discovery of gunpowder. Historians tell the story of a Chinese cook working in the fields who happened to mix sulfur, which is flammable; charcoal, from burnt wood; and either potassium nitrate or saltpeter, which is a salt substitute. The cook noticed the combination had a flammable force when ignited and when this sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate mixture was enclosed and then lit, the dangerous combination exploded producing a loud bang.

Historians also credit Taoist monks in Far East Asia with being the ones who invented fireworks about 1000 years ago. Scientist monks were trying to discover a potion to grant eternal life and immortality, and during their research, discovered the flammable gunpowder mixture. They poured this mixture into bamboo tubes, wedged each end, and attached a detonator cord. These lit rockets produced noise, smoke, and light and became the first official firecrackers. Ancient Chinese used these loud explosive sounds to ward off ghosts and evil spirits, celebrate weddings, births, and birthdays, mark victories in battle, deaths, moon eclipses, and celebrate the New Year.

One particular monk named Li Tian is honored by the Chinese as being the actual person who invented fireworks. He lived in the Hunan Province, close to the city of Liu Yang and this area is still the main producer of fireworks in the world. Every April 18th, the people of China celebrate his invention and offer sacrifices to him. The local people even built a temple in his honor around the 9th century during the Song Dynasty.

Marco Polo is recognized as the person who brought gunpowder to Europe during the 13th century. The English were enthralled with fireworks and the displays became extremely popular during the sovereignty and reign of Queen Elizabeth I. William Shakespeare writes of fireworks in his plays and King James II had a display to celebrate his coronation.

Types of firework effects:

Cake:

A bunch of small tubes joined by a fuse that shoot tiny airborne special effects at a very fast pace, usually at the end of a show.

Chrysanthemum:

A round, sphere-shaped break of colored stars that leaves a noticeable trail of sparks.

Crossette:

A shell holding 2-3 big colored stars that treks a short distance and then fractures into small stars with a noisy snapping sound, making a crisscross grid appearance.

Peony:

A sphere-shaped break of colored stars, similar to the Chrysanthemum and Dahlia, and the most common type of shell firework.

Dahlia:

Almost identical to the peony but with fewer and bigger stars that travel further before burn out.

Diadem:

A kind of Chrysanthemum or Peony with a middle mass of stationary stars.

Fish:

Big inserts that quickly thrust themselves away from the burst shell, usually looking like fish that are swimming away.

Horsetail or Waterfall shell:

Longer-burning tailed stars that trek a short distance from the fractured shell before plummeting to earth, sometimes in a glittering waterfall.

Kamuro:

A thick burst of sparkling gold or silver stars that leave a heavy sparkle trail.

Mine:

A ground firework that ejects either stars, serpents, small shells, or reports into the sky.

Multi-break or Bouquet shells:

A big shell holding a variety of small shells of different types and sizes that fractures and disperses the little shells across the sky before they detonate.

Palm:

A shell holding a small amount of comet stars positioned to burst into long tendrils that created a palm tree looking effect, with a dense rising tail as the shell climbs, imitating a tree trunk.

Ring:

A shell with stars, hearts, clovers, or smiley faces that explodes and forms a ring.

Roman candle:

A long tube holding 2-3 large stars that fire sporadically at recurring intervals, usually in crisscross or fan shapes.

Spider:

A shell holding a quick burning charcoal or tailed star that is exploded very hard to make the stars trek in straight, flat lines before burn out. These lines look like a spiders legs.

Salute or Maroon:

A shell holding large amounts of flash powder instead of stars that creates a fast flash followed by a very large bang, creating extreme brightness and noise.

Time Rain:

A shell holding big, slow-burning stars that leave a large trail of shimmering sparks and a loud hissing noise as they slowly burn away.

Willow:

Comparable to the chrysanthemum but with longer burning gold or silver stars that create an effect that looks like a weeping willow.

Venus Kelly is a sales and marketing professional with ten years experience and a degree in business marketing. She writes and maintains Who Invented a website dedicated to Who Invented What http://whoinvented.info/.