Wayfarers of sound and time

A career musician for about three decades, He began learning the guitar in Beijing in 1997. Now back in his hometown, he hopes to use the medium of sound to present the true "voice and countenance" of the ancient town, while reviving a slower, more observant pace of travel he feels has faded.

He set out to collect voices and sounds in 2011, and has amassed more than 200 hours of recordings. These include some intangible cultural heritage performances, everyday sounds, and melodies played by folk artists. His methods have evolved over time — from recording in restaurants using quilts for makeshift soundproofing and editing audio on a secondhand computer, to later creating music tailored for market trends. Now, he seeks to return to his original, pure perception of sound.