Video: Chinese fireworks artist's flaming “Stairway to Heaven” to celebrate grandmother's 100th birthday goes viral

A video of a Chinese pyrotechnics artist building a burning staircase to heaven to celebrate his grandmother's 100th birthday is going viral on social media. Although the video is over five years old, it caught the attention of internet users on social media site X when author Juanita Broaddrick shared it on her profile on Tuesday.

The video has been viewed 2.9 million times and many have congratulated the artist on his tribute. The artwork was designed by Cai Guo-Qiang, the pyrotechnics artist.

Cai Guo-Qiang honed his artistic skills at the Shanghai Institute of Drama before moving to Japan from 1986 to 1995, where he further developed his mastery of gunpowder. Gunpowder, an ancient Chinese invention, became Cai's signature medium and he wanted to use gunpowder to show his admirers the power and beauty inherent in him.

In 2008, Cai Guo-Qiang made history when he became the first Chinese artist to receive a solo retrospective at New York's Guggenheim Museum. He also served as visual effects and special effects director for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In 2011, he was featured in a solo exhibition at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha, Qatar.