Opening ceremony fireworks are a blast

By Lindsay Beck

BEIJING (Reuters) - If it explodes, it is likely it was made in China.

The inventor of dynamite and producer of most of the world's fireworks has long had a love affair with explosives. On Friday, that love was on full display at the Olympic opening ceremony.

A choreographed series of white flashes lit up the skies over Beijing.

The blasts began at Qianmen, Beijing's ancient city gate, and moved north through the city along the axis that in imperial times marked the political and religious path of power.

"It's a tradition in China that's been handed down from ancient times," said Liu Xuemin, 44, watching at the ancient Drum Tower with her family. "It's very exciting. It makes for a really great atmosphere," she said.

Children covered their ears from the noise and the crowd craned their necks skyward as the blasts shook Beijing.

Legend holds that a Ming dynasty (1368-1644) man named Wan Hu aimed for the stars by holding kites in each hand and strapping himself to a chair as servants lit gunpowder-packed bamboo tubes tied to his seat.

A roar followed. After the smoke dissipated, the chair was gone, along with Wan Hu.

These days, the use of dynamite is perhaps less dramatic, but the love of a big bang remains.

Believed to drive off bad luck with their loud explosions, fireworks and firecrackers are a key part of celebrations, let off enthusiastically at weddings and especially at the Lunar New Year, when the deafening blasts keep residents up at all hours.

They also cause hundreds of accidents every year, due to poor storage, low quality and explosions at unlicensed factories.

Beijing is keen to avoid any such bad news on its day of celebration -- fireworks have been banned as a security measure and all stocks stored in special warehouses.

After Friday's opening blasts, people quickly hurried home to turn on their televisions to watch the ceremony.

For some it was all over too quickly, and many muttered to themselves, "That's all?". But for some in the crowd, the fact it was instantaneous was just the point.

"Watching fireworks is just so joyous and happy," said Lao Yu, 60. "It happens in an instant and then it's over."