Fireworks shot into the sky like shooting stars, bursting into golden cascades that lit up the night.

At 8:08 PM on May 3rd, the “Fireworks Fantasy Night by the Liuyang River” lit up the skies above the Liuyang Sky Theater in Hunan. For over an hour, the night sky became a dreamlike canvas as fireworks painted dazzling scenes—“Heartstrings Aflame”, “Stargate”, “Mystic Cards”... A seamless fusion of technology and art brought to life a breathtaking galaxy of wonder.

The entire performance followed the journey through five symbolic planets, each brought to life with dazzling scenes—“Venus: Light of Belief”, “Jupiter: Forest of Healing”, “Mercury: Ocean of Devotion”, “Mars: Peak of Courage”, and “Saturn: City of Dreams”. The show opened with a burst of “Seven-Colored Auspicious Clouds,” as fireworks interacted with the stage to ignite the atmosphere. As the storyline unfolded, imaginative fireworkslike “A Boat of Stars Sailing into Dreams”and “Neon Garden”lit up the sky one after another.

“It was absolutely breathtaking to see the fireworks explode right overhead!” said Ms. Li, a visitor from Northeast China who came to the show with her two daughters. Under the dazzling sky, they captured what she called the “photo of a lifetime” — a moment turned into a treasured memory.

Since February 2023, Liuyang has hosted a total of 116 creative fireworks displays, including 69 weekend shows. These events have attracted over 6 million visits—more than 90% of them from outside the city—and generated over 18 billion RMB in consumer spending.

With the magic of creative fireworks, Liuyang is bursting with cultural and tourism energy. New experiences, new spaces, and new cultural offerings are popping up all over the city. It’s no surprise Liuyang has once again ranked fourth among China’s top 100 counties in overall tourism strength—and even made it onto the list of the country’s most desirabletourist destinations.

“Liuyang’s fireworks industry is evolving at both ends, expanding forward into research and design, and stretching backward into cultural creativity and services. Nowadays, many fireworks companies in Liuyang have shifted from simply selling products to selling ideas and creativity,”said Li Bin, Party Secretary and Director of the Liuyang Fireworks Industry Development Center. By blending digital technology, musical theater, and traditional culture, the fireworks shows have transformed into immersive nighttime experiences. In 2024, Liuyang’s fireworks industry is set to surpass 50 billion RMB in scale.