Published : 2024-09-16
If you are visiting mainland China during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day, watching the traditional "fireworks" in Shenzhen will certainly not disappoint you.
This is not ordinary fireworks, but rather "iron Flower" (打鐵花), which reaches a temperature of 1600°C. The sparks produced are as bright as fireworks, and it is known as "a must-see Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in lifetime".
There are four popular places in Shenzhen where you can see the incredible "Iron Flower" performance. It's also easy to get to, making it an extraordinary event not to be missed during the festive season.
1600℃ molten iron turned into fantastic fireworks
If you've watched the popular Mainland drama "Story of Yanxi Palace" (延禧攻略), you may have some ideas of what the "Iron Flower" is.
In the drama, Noble Consort Gao tried to please the empress dowager and prepared a "colorful show" for the empress dowager's birthday celebration.
The performers ignite the iron and other metals at high temperature, and when it reaches a liquid state at 1600°C, they splash the scorching molten iron into the sky.
In the darkness of the night, it blooms into bright and stunning sparks, just as beautiful as "fireworks", which never fails to amaze the audience.
However, in "Story of Yanxi Palace", this art is referred to as "Tree Flower" (打樹花). Some online information suggests that it correlates with "Iron Flower", while others insist there are slight differences in the presentation of the two.
The "Tree Flower" involves splashing molten iron onto the wall to form fireworks, while the "Iron Flower" splashes into the sky, causing the molten iron to form dazzling sparks in the dark night.
Either way, both are traditional performances conducted for self-entertainment during festivals and both hold the reputation of "ordinary people's fireworks".
Read more: The Chinese cultural heritage in "Yanxi Palace" 1600℃ Spring Festival "Fireworks"
Mission Hills Ecological Sports Center: "Iron Flower" shows from Mid-Autumn Festival to National Day
Since last year, the “Iron Flower" masterpiece began to be performed at the Mission Hills Ecological Sports Center (深圳龍華觀瀾湖生態運動公社) in Longhua District, Shenzhen, bringing incredibly sensations and receiving high praise.
This year, Mission Hills Ecological Sports Center continues to be held during the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holidays, from September 7th to October 7th, performances are staged from 8:30 pm to 8:45 pm every night at the performance area.
Visitors who come to enjoy the spectacle will be standing at a certain distance to ensure safety.
When the performance begins, the craftsman ignites the iron at a high temperature of 1600°C and throws the molten iron high into the air, and another craftsman strikes it into the air with a wooden board, creating a spectacular display of an iron tree silver flower.
Mission Hills Ecological Sports Center Iron Flower Performance
Date: September From 7th to October7th
Location: Mission Hills Ecological Sports Center, Longhua District, Shenzhen
Transportation: Subway Line 4 Guanlan Lake Station Exit A
OCT Harbour: Iron Flower +Water Show + Fireworks display
The Iron Flower performance in OCT Harbour (華僑城歡樂海岸) is held at the Water Show Theater during the Mid-Autumn Festival themed evening during the Mid-Autumn Festival, paired with the Water Show "Deep Blue Mystery". The show incorporates a small-scale firework display to offer a visual and audio fest.
"Deep Blue Mystery" is a performance on a large-scale water stage that exudes a futuristic feel and seamlessly integration with the sea.
The theatre utilizes international advanced multimedia art and technology achievements such as water curtain, fountain, laser, projection, flame, music, and fireworks, in conjunction with the natural mangrove forest, to delicately and vividly present the idyllic world within the forest.
OCT Harbour Iron Flower Performance
Date: September From 15th to 17th
Location: Water Show Theater, OCT East, No. 8 Baishi Road, Nanshan District
Transportation: Shenzhen Subway Line 9 Shenzhen Bay Park Station Exit E, about a 4-minute walk
Guangming Farm Daguanyuan: Thousands of Sparkling Molten Iron under the Sky
The Iron Flower show at Guangming Farm Daguanyuan (光明農場大觀園), accompanied by the park's "Night of Thousand Lights" carnival, offering a 1600℃ molten iron fireworks display, making the Mid-Autumn Festival night sky even more dazzling. This is the show that you never be missed.
Besides, Daguanyuan of Guangming Farm has ten major dreamy-themed scenes, including Tang Dynasty Ever Bright City, an insect sanctuary, a pink volcano, a dream space of rice, and a Sakura farm, etc. Being there, you will enjoy a feast of traditional fireworks combined with a high-tech light show.
Guangming Farm Daguanyuan
Address: Guangming Street, Guangming District, Guangming Farm Daguanyuan
Transportation: Subway Line 6 Guangming Avenue Station, transfer to M368 bus to Guangming Slide Grass Station
OCT East: Iron Flower under the 4A National Tourist Area
The Iron Flower performance at OCT East (東部華僑城) is located in Dapeng New District (大鵬新城), which is a wonderful environment with a wider space.
OCT East is a 4A national-level tourist resort in China. It has two theme parks, including Adventure Park and Tea Valley Park, 3 tourism towns, 7 themed hotels, and a large-scale outdoor area for live performance.
The European-style fairy-tale town buildings and a big forest that takes about 50-minute to ride, are all with fantastic views that for photo shooting for sure.
OCT East
Address: OCT East, Dapeng New District
Transportation: Subway Line 8 to Yantian Road Station, transfer to bus M380,B691, direct to OCT East
Read more: Mid-Autumn Festival｜5 ancient style moon watching hotspots in Shenzhen
