The story of Li Tian, "ancestor of firecrackers", is one of the beautiful folk (legend) about the origin of fireworks.

  About 1, 400 years ago, on both sides of the Nanchuan River, people  (kill) by mandrills(山魈).Even Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty(618-907), Li Shimin, was so disturbed  he ordered medical treatment from all over the country. 

Li Tian, from Liuyang, central China's Hunan Province, worked hard and invented firecrackers, were used to ward off(抵御) evil spirits (protect) not only the citizens, but also the emperor. Li was awarded the title of "ancestor of firecrackers" by the emperor his valuable rescue.

   (develop) till the Song Dynasty, around the beginning of the 13th century, Liuyang fireworks began to be introduced to India via the Silk Road. Later, fireworks were introduced into Arab countries through India, into Spain, and  ( gradual) spread to European and American countries. 

After more than 1,400 years of development, Liuyang has formed an industrial cluster (群) of production, operation, research and development and logistics, (become) a global fireworks production and trade base and the "hometown of fireworks" in the world.