Less Is Better Than None! Here Are the Places Where You Can Buy CNY Fireworks in Beijing

Restrictions on fireworks are becoming tighter year by year, making it ever more difficult to enjoy the thrill of setting off fireworks in celebration of Chinese New Year. Nonetheless, you still have 11 places to go and purchase your fond fireworks in the suburbs of Beijing from Feb 6 to Feb 16. It’s time to get cracking!

But remember, it is illegal to set off fireworks within the Fifth Ring Road, and there may be other restrictions as well (see below). If you do set off fireworks, be sure to check with the local authorities that you are permitted to do so where you are.

Without further adieu, here are the shops that will sell fireworks this year:

1. Panda Fireworks 熊猫烟花北京总部

Contact: 010-63109898

Address: 800 meters south of village committee, Luojiayu Village, Hancunhe, Fangshan District | 房山区韩村河罗家峪村村委会南800米

2. Tongzhou Songzhuang retail place 通州宋庄零售点

Contact: 13311251988

Address: 500 meters east of Fuhao Village, Tongshunlu, Songzhuang Town, Tongzhou District | 通州区宋庄镇通顺路富豪村东500米（通顺路西）

3. Tongzhou Guoxian retail place 通州漷县零售点

Contact: 13621349997

Address: 500 meters west of Guoxian Village, Guomalu, Guoxian Town, Tongzhou District | 通州区漷县镇漷马路漷县村西500米（漷马路北）

4. Changping Yangfang retail place 昌平阳坊零售点

Contact: 13601321169

Address: 30 meters southeast of Yangfang Middle School, Yangfang Town, Changping District | 昌平区阳坊镇阳阳坊中学东南30米

5. Miyun long-term retail place 密云长期零售点

Contact: 13801122569

Address: 100 meters east of Qiaoxi tourists reception, Zuodilunan, Henanzhai Town, Miyun District | 密云区河南寨镇宁村左堤路南桥西旅游接待站东侧100米

6. Miyun Taishitun retail place 密云太师屯零售点

Contact: 13501268336

Address: Yonganjie, Taishitun Town, Miyun District | 密云区太师屯镇永安街灯岗西北角

7. Yanqing long-term retail place 延庆长期零售点

Contact: 13910238650

Address: Huitongruida Shop, Qianjiadian Village, Qianjiadian Town, Yanqing District | 延庆区千家店镇千家店村供销社院内（汇通瑞达门市部）

8. Huairou Yangsong retail place 怀柔杨宋零售点

Contact: 13901303021

Address: Parking lot in the west of the post station, Yangsong Town, Huaigenglu, Huairou District | 怀柔区怀耿路杨宋镇邮局西侧停车场内

9. Huairou Yanqi retail place 怀柔雁栖零售点

Contact: 13611133427

Address: 100 meters southwest of Litong Shangwu Hotel, Fanqilu, Yanqi Town, Huairou District | 怀柔区雁栖镇范崎路力通商务酒店对面西南100米

10. Pinggu Shandongzhuang retail place 平谷山东庄零售点

Contact: 13241627802

Address: Bank of Agriculture and Commerce Shandongzhuang branch, Shandongzhuang Town, Pinggu District | 平谷区山东庄镇农商银行山东庄分理处南

11. Pinggu Yukou retail place 平谷峪口零售点

Contact: 13718202528

Address: Yukou Village, Yukou Town, Pinggu District | 平谷区峪口镇峪口村口

Where and when can you set off fireworks

As usual, all places inside the Fifth Ring are restricted. Additionally, it is not permitted to set off fireworks within the entire districts of Shijingshan and Shunyi this year. Daxing district has also banned fireworks not only during CNY but throughout the year.

In places where is allowed, you should also be aware of time restrictions. Fireworks can only be set off throughout the whole day of New Year’s Eve (Feb 11) and the first day of the Chinese New Year (Feb 12), as well as from 7am to midnight on the second day to the 15th day of the first lunar month (that’s Feb 13 to Feb 26). In the case of severe air pollution or orange-level pollution warning (above 150 AQI), the whole city will forbid the setting off of fireworks.

Timeline of Beijing’s firework restriction policy

Long-time Beijingers may miss the old days when fireworks could be bought anywhere in town. Can you believe that just 10 years ago, there were thousands of firework retailers in Beijing? However, with the restrictions getting tighter by the year, this number sharply decreased to a mere 87 sellers in 2018, and all retailers were moved out of the Fifth Ring. In 2019, only 37 remained, and in 2020, just 23.

Actually, Beijing's strictest restrictions on fireworks were set into place in 1993, when all districts were banned from setting off fireworks in response to the large amount of injuries and fire accidents that had been caused in the years prior. However, the restriction loosened again in 2005 and residents living within the Fifth Ring were permitted to set off fireworks during a set time period. That's also the same year that Beijing reinforced the management of firework retail. Places without a government-approved license were forbidden from selling fireworks and crackers.

By 2010, public awareness of air pollution as a severe problem in Beijing took off and support for stricter restrictions on fireworks grew. In a survey conducted by Beijing Municipal Government, 83.1 percent of residents supported an overall ban of fireworks throughout the main districts. In 2017, the government readjusted the restrictions to permit fireworks outside of the Fifth Ring Road.

READ: Yes, Fireworks are Still Banned Within the 5th Ring for the Year of the Ox

Images: Pixabay, Xinhua