The Moving Soundscape of Xichuiting: Ritual Sound and Place Identity in Linhai, China

Originating in the Jiaqing reign of the Qing Dynasty, the Xichuiting (细吹亭) ritual has continued into the present as a distinctive local tradition in Linhai, Zhejiang. Performed as the finale of the Lantern Festival celebrations, this procession features a silk-and-bamboo ensemble housed in a mobile pavilion that traverses the old city along a fixed route. This study examines how the ritual’s mobile soundscape shapes a sense of place, conveys symbolic meaning, and anchors collective memory. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork and interviews, the research addresses three questions: how the music interacts with urban space and festive timing, how it is perceived and embodied by local residents, and how it becomes a symbol of community identity. Rather than treating the music simply as performance, the analysis highlights sound as a spatial and emotional medium that carries cultural significance. The findings show that the sounds of Xichuiting — as heard, remembered, and cherished by residents — serve as an auditory marker of place identity and an emotional touchstone. This case thus offers a fresh contribution to soundscape studies in ethnomusicology by providing a situated, mobile perspective from a Chinese urban context.