
Contents
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Introduction Introduction
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Cultural Mediation: Reduced Listening, Affective Listening Cultural Mediation: Reduced Listening, Affective Listening
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Technological Mediation: Concrete Sound, Relational Sound Technological Mediation: Concrete Sound, Relational Sound
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The Washing Machine: Toward a Theory of “Chinese” Sound The Washing Machine: Toward a Theory of “Chinese” Sound
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Postscript: Reflections on Sound in Sinophone Studies Postscript: Reflections on Sound in Sinophone Studies
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7 The Techne of Listening: Toward a Theory of “Chinese” Sound
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Published:October 2023
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Abstract
Is there a culturally specific understanding of sound—a “Chinese” sound? What are the implications of asking such questions? Sound, as an object of study, embodies ontological ambiguity. It operates simultaneously as an object, an event, and a relationship, necessitating a distinctive mode of thinking that addresses not only its medium specificity but also the listening practices that render these sounds as legible cultural experiences. This chapter explores the ontology of sound and the culturally contextualized practice of listening, especially within the Chinese cultural and philosophical context. It introduces the concept of “the techne of listening,” highlighting listening as a skillful, artful, and bodily practice that uncovers the dynamic interplay between materiality and signification. In particular, the chapter examines Wang Jing's concept of affective listening as a paradigm uniquely aligned with “Chinese” sensibilities, contrasting it with the Western notion of reduced listening, as conceptualized by Pierre Schaeffer. The discussion extends to the works of contemporary sound artists and cultural critics such as Yan Jun, Hsia Yu, and Qiu Zhijie, evaluating their engagement with sound theory through the perspectives of Chinese language, culture, and philosophy. Although “to listen” simply means to direct one’s attention toward a sound, the act of listening is both culturally and technologically mediated.
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