Real groaner -- wait for it

It is said that when Marco Polo first opened the trade routes to China, he was quite impressed with their rockets. Now, these weren't quite the fireworks we now know, but they did shoot into the air, explode and make some pretty patterns. Strangely, no matter where he went, there were people who made fireworks, but he had trouble finding someone to demonstrate them for him.

"Not here!" they said.

It was all very confusing. That is, until ol' Marc came upon two ancient military fortifications on opposite sides of the great valley, at the head of which sat the equally ancient community of Chu'Lai. Here, from the long-ago constructed great fortifications, from the highest parapets, fireworks were launched every night, and Marc was very impressed!

Just as wonderful as the brilliant light shows the fireworks provided was the sight of men, women and children from all walks of life, peasant to warlord, making the arduous climb from the valley into the two giant fortresses, disappearing into the shadows of the great structures where military men from generations of China had fought valiantly to drive off invaders and would-be conquerors, to emerge several minutes later on the high walls and begin setting up their wares for the entertainment of the masses, who faithfully gathered around the two forts to watch.

But still he wondered, "Why here? Why, in all of China, is this the only place they shoot them off?" Every day, more people would arrive from great distances, bringing their own fireworks to launch. So Marco Polo, puzzling through the problem and failing to come up with an answer, finally surrendered to his curiosity and asked his guide why everyone came here to launch their fireworks.

Marc's guide replied: "Why honored Sir! We have, for well over 200 years, always set off fireworks on the Forts of Chu'Lai"