In the heart of Liuyang – a city renowned as China's 'Fireworks Capital' for over 1,400 years – a new generation is redefining tradition. Armed with viral marketing savvy and artistic vision, Gen Z entrepreneurs are breathing fresh life into pyrotechnics through "aesthetic engineering", combining light shows with digital storytelling.
Young founder Zhao Ming, 24, explains their strategy: "We create fireworks experiences that resonate emotionally – celebrations aren’t just loud noises anymore, but choreographed narratives." This approach helped his startup achieve ¥58M ($8M USD) in domestic sales since 2022, collaborating with museums and tourism boards to transform historical stories into explosive spectacles.
With over 40% of China’s fireworks produced locally, Liuyang’s manufacturers are partnering with these digital natives to:
Develop AR-enabled firework displays viewable through smartphones
Create custom chemical formulations for eco-friendly colored flames
Design compact urban fireworks compliant with safety regulations
As export plans accelerate, industry veteran Wang Lijuan notes: "They understand global youth culture like no previous generation – their TikTok-ready packaging designs already tripled overseas inquiries." The city’s commerce bureau reports a 37% year-on-year rise in fireworks export licenses issued to under-30 entrepreneurs.
While honoring millennium-old craft techniques, Liuyang’s young innovators prove cultural heritage can become cutting-edge commodity – lighting up both skies and balance sheets.
