World War III

Before we left for Taipei, Muir's co-workers said that spending CNY in Taiwan would be more traditional since the fleeing Nationalists preserved more of the "traditional" Chinese culture (such as writing traditional characters, for example) that existed before the Great Leap Forward.  However, once we arrived in Taiwan, I was surprised (and glad) to see just how modern Taipei was, even compared to the last time I was there seven years ago in December 2005.  Taipei city itself is clean and modern, the subway cars are roomier than in Beijing, no one spits in public, traffic has learned to drive in its proper lane, there are fewer small stray dogs and mopeds, and fewer piles of debris along the sides of the road.  The people are generally still shorter than in Beijing and the building exteriors are still covered in ceramic tiles (It rains like 300 days of the year there).  Anyway, my relatives in Taiwan said that they didn't really celebrate CNY as much as was done many years ago.  My cousin Jerome who works in Taipei didn't get the whole week off work.  They said only agricultural economies have time to spend days cooking, feasting, and visiting family for the two or three weeks that comprise "traditional" Chinese New Year.  It would appear that modernity has displaced that part of traditional Chinese culture in Taiwan.

Back in Beijing on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night, we were barraged with a cacophony of firecrackers from about 7PM to midnight.  Nearly every street corner or courtyard was fair game for pyrotechnic displays.  The crackling fireworks and whistling fountains made Beijing sound like it was under siege.  Hollywood take note--if you ever get tired of playing those staid bombing and gunfire sound clips, just come to Beijing during Chinese New Year and you'll get lots of great material to work with.  This video was taken just outside out apartment door.

We can still hear fireworks tonight, almost two weeks after Chinese New Year.

UPDATE:  I spoke too soon.  Today (February 6th) is the Lantern Festival and it's the Fourth of July on steroids.  Displays are being lit in the courtyards around our apartment that are 20+ stories high.  It's been like this for at least an hour and a half now.