Skyrockets in flight bring evening delight

Pyro power: Vu Van Sinh of Cao Vien Village prepares a system of skyrockets, which are propelled from bamboo frames. — VNS Photo Truong Vi   How it all began Rockets and other forms of fireworks, including fire crackers, were developed in the third century BC by Taoist priests in China after the invention of gunpowder from sulphur, saltpetre and ground charcoal. In the 10th century AD, after extensive research, fireworks were adopted by the Chinese military, largely to frighten the enemy in battle - particularly to stampede war horses and elephants. Later, the technology crossed the Eurasian land mass on the old Silk Road and was adopted by the Ottoman Turks. They used rockets in the successful siege of Constantinople in 1453, the first appearance of this type of warfare in Europe. But for several centuries after this, rockets became more of a curiosity in the West. They were not heard of again as weapons until the 18th century, when Indian soldiers used them in battles against the invading British. The British could see their potential and started to develop better ways of guiding and propelling the rockets. Modern rockets were born in 1917 when Robert Goddard, after receiving a grant from the Smithsonian Institute in the United States, attached a nozzle to the combustion chamber of rockets, doubling their thrust enormously. This later led to the development of the V2 rocket by Nazi Germany against the British troops at Dunkirk and in the terror bombing of London. From there, things progressed quickly. Rockets of enormous size are loaded with atomic warheads and aimed at nations thousands of kilometres away - and are used to visit the moon and outer space.

(29-11-2009)

For decades, Nguyen Van Quyen has been making skyrockets that light up the sky with colourful explosions. Le Quynh Anh reports.

Crowds at the 999th anniversary celebrations of the founding of Thang Long - formerly Ha Noi - may not have noticed an array of bamboo frames set up behind the statue of King Ly Thai To near Hoan Kiem Lake.

But when a electric lighter was later applied to the long tubes on sticks, thousands of eyes flashed open in wonder as once again, skyrockets became the main attraction at a Vietnamese festival.

Like those gathered in tribute, the ancient king, the founder of the Ly dynasty, was bathed in a cascade of colour. It’s hard to believe that such simple equipment could light up the sky for an hour with exploding showers of colour and sparks. Shouts of joy burst from youthful throats.

Skyrockets are much simpler than other types of fireworks - and produce a less spectacular effect. Most fireworks are shot into the air by a mortar while skyrockets provide their own propulsion.

Under the present laws of Viet Nam, fireworks can only be used under the supervision of the military to ensure the safety of those firing them and of bystanders, homes and other property.

Restrictions were first introduced in 1955 under the newly independent Democratic Republic of Viet Nam. This limited the sale and use of explosives, including gunpowder, fireworks and firecrackers.

Seventy-two-year-old Nguyen Van Quyen, one of the oldest fireworks artisans in Cao Vien Village in Ha Tay to the west of Ha Noi, a village long devoted to the craft, recalls that at that time, his father, Nguyen Van Chien, became the first Vietnamese to be granted a permit to make firecrackers by the Government under the new regulations.

Cao Vien again became noted for its pyrotechnic industry before the use of fireworks was further limited at the end of 1994 and the use of firecrackers, popular with children, was banned at the same time.

The prohibitions were introduced ostensibly for two reasons - to stop people wasting money in a nation recovering from decades of warfare and to stop the many fires and human injures caused by fireworks of all descriptions.

Quyen remembers that when he was a child, his father took him to many village fairs to demonstrate the art. "That’s why the techniques easily worked their way into my subconscious. It is the way the traditional craft was passed down from generation to generation here," he said.

There were times when the village found it impossible to keep the tradition alive since firecrackers have been almost totally banned in Viet Nam for 15 years. During this period, Quyen and other craftsmen were concerned about the survival of the traditional industry.

Vu Van Sinh, another craftsman from the same village, said: "The most difficult job is to create pyrotechnic stars, The ratio of chemicals in the gunpowder decides the quality of the colour. And I must say, it is knowledge that largely distinguishes one skilled craftsman from another."

Sinh said he felt lucky because he had excellent formulas based on old family secret recipes and his 30 years of experience.

Preparing a display is a time-consuming job. A six-minute skyrocket show can take Sinh and a team of eight people one month.

Sinh, like Quyen, has struggled to save the craft since bans were heightened in 1994. He went to many festivals across the country to introduce the art of making traditional skyrockets and asked for a chance to perform. In 2000, moved by his enthusiasm, the Phu Tho People’s Committee accepted his offer of providing a skyrocket display for the annual ceremony commemorating the Hung Kings, the founders of Viet Nam.

Off with a bang: Vu Van Sinh and his team set off a skyrocket display at the opening ceremony of the 2009 Traditional Craft Villages Exhibition in the central city of Hue. — VNA/VNS Photo Dinh Hue

He did well. A magnificent performance led, to his amazement, to an invitation to perform at more public functions, including a Party Congress, and many festivals from north to south.

When we visited his village home, he couldn’t hide his pride when displaying certificates of merit from the organisers of many large events. "I am so happy that our craft could contribute to the success of those events. And by attending them, my people and I were able to keep the ancient tradition alive, which was my purpose in my first place," Sinh said.

To strictly follow the regulations, Sinh registered as an enterprise in 2002. His company is now home to both old and young craftsmen who want to practise the old craft.

Public displays of the ancient art form can be costly. That’s why they are mainly used on big occasions, such as National Day or Lunar New Year’s Eve. But they also feature at many smaller festivals which, as they say, would not be the same without them. — VNS