Fireworks show co-organized by Arc’teryx and artist Cai Guoqiang in Xizang’s Himalayas draws backlash over ecology and cultural disrespect

Cai Guoqiang stages a fireworks display in the Himalayas of Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region on September 20, 2025. Photo: from webInternationally renowned Chinese artist Cai Guoqiang staged a fireworks display in the Himalayas of Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region on Friday evening, raising concerns about violating fundamental principles of ecological conservation. Although the organizers had noted in advance that the fireworks were eco-friendly and would be cleaned up afterward, the performance nevertheless sparked controversy. Many netizens criticized the event as absurd, questioning the decision to set off explosions in such an ecologically fragile region as the Himalayas. In response to the backlash, the brand behind the show has since deleted related videos online.At dusk on Friday, Cai began the fireworks performance in Gyangze, an area located at an altitude of about 5,500 meters in the Himalayas. Footage from the site showed Cai igniting three sequences of fireworks along the mountain ridge through gunpowder blasts, creating a dynamic "rising dragon" scene, symbolizing the auspiciousness and vitality embodied in Eastern dragon culture.Organizers of the event had stated beforehand that all fireworks used biodegradable, eco-friendly materials, herders' livestock would be relocated and small animals guided away with salt bricks prior to the display, and that residue would be cleaned up and vegetation restored afterward to avoid ecological risks. Some netizens argued that the so-called eco-friendly materials were only "less polluting" compared with conventional products, but by no means zero-impact. Others pointed out that the plateau's ecosystem is extremely fragile, "even a tire mark can take decades or centuries to heal, let alone such large-scale smoke and noise pollution," according to media repo