Today marks the beginning of the Year of the Rabbit, and the New Year is ushered in with fireworks. The focus of Chinese pyrotechnics is not so much a dazzling display in the sky (although nowadays and at the scale of the event in Shanghai you get this, too), but sustained noise in the streets.

Throughout New Year's Eve yesterday (and also a little in the days before), people would set off fire crackers. Frequency and intensity increased markedly around 8pm, and from 10pm the explosions were incessant, without interruption or pause, climaxing in a big crescendo at midnight. I am not sure if this will continue for the rest of the week, but they certainly are at it again in the morning.

The purpose of this racket is to drive away the Nian, a mythical beast that comes out of hiding every spring to attack people. Fortunately, it can be scared off by loud noises. Wearing red clothes helps, too.