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Q: Fireworks at 6 AM? WTF?
I am in my wife's hometown in Zhejiang for Chinese New Years. I am staying at a hotel which is more or less in the middle of the city.
I watched a movie late last night (really early this morning) and nodded off around 4 AM. It was quiet the whole evening. Occasional pop off of fireworks, but nothing I am not used to. Anyway, I am awake at 6 AM to huge blasting fireworks all over. LOUD. Too loud to sleep. Sounds literally like a military battle outside. This crap went on for about an hour, again, around 6 AM!
WTF is with doing this, or shooting any fireworks at this time of the day? Was everyone drunk? This is 5 days into the holiday, on a Tuesday morning. I don't understand this at all, and never have. Aren't people sleeping? Maybe some people have to work today. People have babies, animals and small kids who have to be scared and annoyed by this racket.
Again, why 6 AM when most people are in bed, minus the a-holes shooting this s**t off? Shoot it off at midnight. I am cool with that. Or better yet, 9 PM when it is dark and most everyone are still awake. Like I mentioned, it was quiet at 9 PM, quiet at Midnight, sounds like a Taliban battle at 6 AM.
I dont get it. Can one explain this?
I love it. In the UK I can get fined for putting the wrong rubbish in the wrong bin. I can get a parking ticket if one wheel is more than "x" inches from the curb.
I firmly believe there is more personal freedom for Chinese people here than I have at home.
Sure there are the big freedoms at home that are not enjoyed here. But it's the small things that make each day that bit more enjoyable.
In any case, the fireworks might be for a wedding, and nothing to do with new year. Maybe a couple live thousands of miles apart and CNY is the only time for them to get married. Chinese weddings start early.
Having said that, I am having a GCD today. Chances are I have a BCD tomorrow, so I will come back and delete this post 
Scandinavian:
I firmly believe that those who are using fireworks at any time of day are stealing freedom from the rest of us. In a society with rules, people are free because everyone have their freedom within the same set of boundaries. A lion in a zoo isn't free because a bird can fly into it's enclosure and take a dump.
ScotsAlan:
Good point Scandanavian, and I certainly can't disagree with what you say.
I just feel too many places have too many rules. I think living in a place with too many rules can actually make people unhappy. It's too easy in such a place to point at some bloke doing something and feel aggravated that he is breaking a rule.
This could be a good debate to have. Maybe it should have it's own question? "Should China have more rules?"
It is important to scare away ghosts using fireworks. Beings at the metaphysical level are really going to care about some sounds and flashes of light.
I actually asked my wife about the early morning fireworks and she said it was often for because someone had died. Perhaps that is just specific to this area though.
ambivalentmace:
wake them up from the dead and then let them rest in peace, only the logic of the chinese could explain this
I " hear " you on the early morning fireworks. I was woken up at 730am this morning from fireworks and I had my earplugs in. I will need a vacation from this vacation to readjust my sleep routine. Does anyone have extra fireworks since I may need some to wake up my students the first day back from the holiday?
