Written by Laila Chin-Hui Fan
Image credit: Provided by the author.
On 13 September 2025, the global initiative “Listening to Quiet”, organised by Quiet Parks International (QPI), unfolded across continents. From the forests of Sweden to the United States and the countryside of Spain, citizens from different walks of life participated in synchronised “quiet walks”, embracing the practice of deep listening in natural environments. This global movement encourages people to step away from the relentless noise of modern life and engage in a fundamental human act long forgotten: listening. Uniquely, Taiwan stood as the sole participant from Asia, highlighting its growing commitment to soundscape awareness and ecological consciousness in the region.
That day, a small group gathered in northern Taiwan and walked silently toward Menghuan Lake, a tranquil wetland nestled in Yangmingshan National Park, known for its misty landscape and ecological richness. As they approached, a crested serpent eagle perched on a distant branch, seemingly welcoming the quiet procession. The air shimmered with the calls of cicadas, Taiwan wren-babblers, and the rhythmic croaks of rugosa frogs. Together, these voices weave a living symphony unique to this land. For many participants, it was a profound reminder that nature has always been speaking; we have merely forgotten how to listen.
The event, titled “Quiet Soundwalk”, was organised by the Soundscape Association of Taiwan, a citizen-based environmental group dedicated to preserving and appreciating natural soundscapes. The walk was more than an ecological activity; it was also a philosophical and emotional experience. As participants moved slowly and silently through the forest, many realised a deeper truth: humans are not the centre of all things. The forest does not sing for us. The voices of insects, birds, and frogs are not background music for human leisure but expressions of the Earth’s vitality, which are soundings that existed long before us and will likely continue after. Learning to recognise these voices is an act of humility, a practice of coexistence in a world not solely ours.
Such listening practices did not emerge overnight. In 2020, Yangmingshan National Park became the world’s first certified Urban Quiet Park by QPI. This remarkable achievement resulted from years of collaboration among Taiwanese civil organisations, government agencies, and international conservation networks. This certification recognised not only Taiwan’s rich biodiversity but also its cultural commitment to quiet as a public good. In 2022, the Cuifeng Lake Circular Trail in Taipingshan, Yilan, was awarded the title of the world’s first Quiet Trail, further solidifying Taiwan’s leadership in global soundscape conservation.
Yet the story began long before these honours. More than a decade earlier, the Soundscape Association of Taiwan had initiated dialogue with forestry officials, proposing the creation of a “Silent Trail”, a path where people could walk slowly, listen deeply, and reconnect with the natural world through their senses. The goal was not only recreation but inner transformation. By embracing silence and natural sound, people could reorient their attention away from daily chaos and toward the subtle wisdom of the Earth.
Founded by citizens, field recordists, acoustic ecologists, sound artists, and environmental educators, the Soundscape Association of Taiwan promotes “quiet” not as the absence of sound but as an ecological and cultural value. Their mission extends beyond conservation; it seeks to help people rediscover how to listen. The boundaries between human and more-than-human voices—between our speech and the voices of other beings—have long been blurred by industrial growth and urban noise. But quietude, in all its forms – stillness, serenity, and silence – is not merely a low decibel reading. It is a state of being, a philosophical stance, and a conscious mode of engagement. In a society saturated with noise, attentive listening becomes radical. Only when we are willing to be still can we truly hear, not just with our ears but with our entire selves.
Taiwan, as an island nation, faces a paradox. With nearly 70 per cent of its landmass covered in mountains and one of the highest population densities in the world, most citizens live amid inescapable urban noise: traffic, construction, and the constant hum of commerce. Decades of colonial rule and rapid modernisation have shaped this soundscape. Yet as Taiwan’s democracy has matured, so too has public awareness of acoustic environments and sound heritage. Citizens recognise that their island is rich not only in biodiversity but also in cultural and ecological soundscapes. With this awareness comes action; many are choosing to be quiet, not merely for personal well-being, but also in solidarity with other species. These practices of listening embody an emergent environmental ethic that reflects Taiwan’s openness, creativity, and pursuit of a more-than-human future.
Since 2017, the Soundscape Association of Taiwan has aligned with the global World Listening Day (18 July) by designating 17 July as Taiwan Listening Day. Each year, citizens are invited to participate in a national moment of quiet, transforming listening into a civic ritual. This initiative has cultivated a new environmental and cultural literacy, positioning sound not just as a scientific object or an artistic medium but as a tool for awareness, education, and activism.
To further this mission, the Association launched the Taiwan Nature Sound Map, an interactive online archive of non-human voices from the island’s mountains, forests, wetlands, and coasts. This platform allows users to explore the natural soundscape from afar, deepening connection to place through sound. In collaboration with Academia Sinica and the Environmental Protection Administration, the Association initiated the “Seeking 55dB Quiet Lands” project, a citizen-science initiative that invites the public to use smartphone apps to identify and protect urban areas where ambient sound remains below 55 decibels—spaces where human and non-human life can coexist in relative harmony.
Image credit: Provided by the author.
Through these efforts, Taiwan has not only safeguarded the acoustic memory of its natural world but also cultivated what the Association calls “listening literacy”. This literacy is more than a technical skill; it is a way of relating to the world that bridges nature, history, culture, and citizenship. Recording sound is only the beginning; what matters is how those sounds reshape consciousness, reconnect us with place, and empower us to build a future where more-than-human voices are honoured.
In the age of the Anthropocene, as human activity reshapes the planet on an unprecedented scale, questions arise: How do we listen? What have we failed to hear? And what might change if we did? Listening, in this sense, is no longer passive; it is a political, spiritual, and ecological act. As Taiwanese citizens continue to weave their voices with those of other beings, they preserve not only the island’s sonic heritage but also create new cultural values for a shared future. Taiwan thus reminds the world that it is not only a technological island—it is also an island of listening.
Laila Chin-Hui Fan is the founder of the Soundscape Association of Taiwan. She is a nature writer, TV and radio producer and host, and documentary director who actively promotes environmental education through interdisciplinary artistic creation, conveying deep concern for the land.
This article was published as part of a special issue on ‘Sonic Worlds, Acoustic Politics and Hearing in Taiwan.’
Taiwan Insight 