Listening to the Spring: A Sonic Dialogue Between Waterways and Singing Bowls

In this piece, actor Zhang Anqi explores the waterways of Hangzhou, capturing the natural sounds of the system from the Hupao Spring's gentle trickle to the meandering flow of the Jiuxi Streams. As well as capturing the drip of springs, the murmur of brooks, and the roar of rivers, she introduces singing bowls as a sonic medium. Its deep resonant tones engage in a dialogue with the natural sounds of water. The creation dramatically stages a pressing social issue: the drying of Jiuxi Streams' lower reaches and the diminishing flow of Hupao Spring are obvious evidence of climate change and human intervention. By interweaving the vibrations of singing bowls with the soundscape of flowing water, this performance serves as both an auditory retrospective of the waterways of Zhang's homeland and an ecological reflection mediated by sound. It invites us to consider how we might cultivate a more acute awareness of listening to and responding to the fading sounds of nature.