Case study: Research on the soundscape of Taoist temples in Northeast China

Taoist temples, as places of Taoist practice, have a long history in Northeast China and feature unique acoustic environments that significantly affect religious activities and tourist experiences. This study selects six representative Taoist temples in Northeast China, employing methods such as on-site measurements and questionnaire surveys to investigate the acoustic field parameters of temple architecture and their influencing factors, analyze the acoustic environment and evaluation characteristics, and conduct acoustic field simulations for one representative temple. The results show that, regarding the acoustic environment, the equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure levels of urban, rural, and mountain-forest Taoist temples decrease sequentially, with the highest A-weighted sound level in mountain-forest temples not exceeding 60 dB throughout the day. In terms of soundscape evaluation, the frequency of visitors’ annual visits and their degree of belief in Taoism are significantly correlated with soundscape evaluation; visitors’ emotional states and perceptions of the religious atmosphere are positively correlated with sound comfort or satisfaction. In terms of acoustic field simulation, widening the courtyard significantly improves sound field uniformity; changes in sound source position lead to significant differences in sound field uniformity across different areas; using smooth brick walls, compared to walls with greenery or hedge enclosures, increases the average sound level by 7% and enhances sound field uniformity while also increasing reverberation time. The findings of this study expand the scope of soundscape research and provide a scientific basis for the acoustic design of Taoist temples.