The Chinese Spring Festival, better known to most westerners as the Chinese New Year, is the one time during the year that the residents of Beijing are allowed to shoot fireworks from within the fourth ring road. And given the chance, they take it with both hands and several lighters. For the two weeks comprising the Spring Festival and the week afterwards, leading up to the Lantern Festival (the lighting of many lanterns on streets marks the formal end to the new year festivities), the dark night sky of Beijing is scarred and streaked with light from the thousands of fireworks being set off ... more »