The Song of Weaving and Farming: The Soundscape of Xiaohuang Dong Village

Using recording equipment, actors Wu Zhaoyang and Liao Jiajun captured the unique agricultural soundscape of Xiao Huang Dong Village. The rhythmic cadence of looms, the thudding of cloth being beaten during the dyeing process, the splashing of fish and ducks in paddy fields, and the echoes of the Grand Song of the Dong people resonating from the drum tower all fuse together to create a representation of local production and daily life. While recording, the actors not only heard historical traces of agricultural wisdom, but also sensed the challenges facing this way of life when conducting interviews, such as the impact of youth migration, the difficulty of passing down traditional skills, and the influence of modern production methods. Through this field recording, the actors aim to convey the current state of this way of life and enable more people to recognise its value and understand its fragility. This is not merely an exercise in 'observing' others, but rather an empathetic reflection on the current state of agricultural civilisation.