Just be happy you don't live outside of a big city... It is nothing new to hear fireworks going off at midnight or even four in the morning in the little village I call home. If it's a pretty weekend, I swear I've heard them so off at least once an hour all day long.

Its China new car marriage building anything really

Qadaffi?

No , not like small , personal fireworks . I'm talking about the big kind you'd see at an independence day celebration . I've heard Chinese fireworks are amazing but the average person doesn't have access to those kind of fireworks , does he/she ? From how big they were I thought fore sure this had to be some organized show or something ...

Who knows? Go out and enjoy the show. Welcome to China, a place where people don't need a reason for anything.

The main reason for shooting fireworks here, besides having the money to do it, is to drive away evil spirits and allow you into a new chapter of your life with success. So, you will see them used forn any reason possible, a wedding, before moving into a new apartment, a new car, a new job, maybe even a new mistress, or whatever stupid reason they may have.

As far as the type, you can buy on a road stand anything from one small firecracker, to a series of one thousand of them in all sizes possible, plus any type of fireworks you (or them) can think of. All they are not that expensive, 400 yuan will get you quite a supply.

As for the time of the celebrations, maybe you have not realized it yet, but eventually you will. Most Chinese individuals do not give a thought to others, just care about themselves and what they want to do, and the hell with everyone else.

So, either enjoy the display, or buy some cotton balls for your ears, or think of payback and learn how to make a "bazooka", and blow it up at 3 am for 2n or 3 nights.

wait until chinese new year week. you will think your ear is exploding and you will not get any sleep.

They blow fireworks for any reasons in China : wedding, new apartment, new shop, etc.

It often pisses me off, not that I mind personally, but they always wake my child up when it's the night. So, I often have a small quarrel with the "idiots" firing fireworks late that night (at least in my compound) and try to explain them if they would happy that I personally blows fireworks when their child will be deeply sleeping.

It's not only a matter of tradition, it's also a matter of "I don't give a damn about what time, what day it is, if I can do it".

last chinese new year, my neighbors thought it was a good idea to set off fireworks right outside his window just below me at 2am ...
he shattered my apt window and my landlord blamed me even though there were visible signs of A FIREWORK display (i.e charred window sill) outside my window...

Grinder rule #12: When in Rome, they where burn you out. Just try to escape in time.

I with DaBen on this. 10.19pm? I wish!! And yeah skyrockets at night, afternoon delight, bursting outside your window at all hours. Spring Festival and Chinese New year to come so get used to it. I haven't.

lmao they blow thwm off all night 100 am 200 am 300am

I think 10:19pm is a reasonable time. It's the fireworks at 8am that really make me angry!

As others have said, what westerners would consider major fireworks can be bought anywhere for pretty cheap.  And the locals will set them off for just about any reason including "it's 2am, I am drunk out of my mind and setting off fireworks sounds like a fun thing to do."

Be thankful you are in Shanghai.  It is pretty tame there.  Come to some of the 2nd or 3rd teir cities if you want to know what living in an active war zone sounds like.

You have wedding bells in the west and in china , fireworks!!! Its the time of the year where couples and celebrating their customary wedding.