In a tutorial with Ingrid, Ingrid suggested that I could go to a fireworks display and record the sound of the fireworks, as the fireworks festival in the UK is about to start. For my project I needed to record the unique sounds of London and Hangzhou, China. Speaking of fireworks, I am reminded that in China, there is an exceptional type of fireworks called “Ta Tie Hua（Cast iron blossom）”, which is one of China’s national intangible cultural heritages. This is one of China’s national intangible cultural heritage. “Tiehua” originated in the Northern Song Dynasty as a ritual for craftsmen to pray for the blessing of the goddess Laojun and the god of fire for their business to flourish and for peace and wealth to be made. In this event, the craftsmen first build a flower trellis and a shrine, and then the procession marches in a line, carrying the statue of the god Laojun to the shrine, and setting up incense and offerings in the shops along the way to welcome the god. After arriving at the god shed, a ritual is performed to ask for the god’s blessing and safety. In the evening, flower-beating begins, and the participating craftsmen kneel and change their clothes inside the god shed as a sign of respect and to pray for safety. This activity is supported and participated in by Taoist priests who provide venues or contribute money and materials and organize bands to cheer the artisans during the procession. The original purpose of this activity was to showcase the industry and advertise business, as well as to signify prosperity. However, this event is not something that is difficult to come across in my hometown, as artists usually perform it during some traditional Chinese festivals. But I think the visual effect of the fireworks and the ironworks can be applied to my visual part. A fireworks display is a carnival of nature, with bright sparks blooming in the darkness and dreamlike colors intertwining to create a unique night sky picture. Each fireworks display is a moment of poetry, some blooming like flowers, some splashing like a river of stars.

On 5 November, I went to watch the fireworks display in Battersea. The music and the fireworks were very well coordinated, with many of the fireworks following the beat and rhythm of the music, which made the whole fireworks show very exciting. I also recorded the full show with the zoom H5, and when I listened to my recording, I could hear many details clearly, in the area in front of my ear, I could hear the sound of the fireworks and the music. In the back of my ear, I can hear the crowd and the children’s screams. I think many times, sounds are like fireworks, they’re fleeting. But when we record them, their beauty remains in our memory, so I wanted to do the theme of sound memory in the first place.