Abstract
The Soundscape Project was initiated by the Alishan Forest Railway and Cultural Heritage Office, curated by HaveFun Creative Co. and sound artist, Wu Tsan-Cheng. Over the course of one year, sounds were systematically collected across natural, village, railway, and human stories, creating an archive for exhibitions, research, preservation and etc.
Description
On the island of Taiwan in the western Pacific, the Alishan Forest Railway is a rare cultural heritage that connects history, landscape, and community. Originally built during the Japanese colonial period for logging, the railway now serves as an important tourism route. It climbs from lowland cities to 2,451 meters above sea level, linking 20 stations. Each station reflects distinct industries, settlements, and ecological environments. Fieldwork combined immersive sound recording, interviews, and on-site observation. Ambisonic scene-based recording technology was used to capture 360-degree spatial sound environments.
More than 24 interviews were conducted with current and retired railway workers, local residents, and community elders. Their voices and stories reveal how the transformation of forestry and transportation reshaped migration, livelihoods, and village life along the railway. Personal narratives—such as a 97-year-old elder recalling forest restoration or a retired station worker describing a lifetime of service—add human depth to the soundscape.
Sound artist Wu Tsan-Cheng approached the project with a simple question: If I were a station, or someone living here, what sounds would I hear every day? Guided by this perspective, the team recorded more than 1,300 sounds, capturing human activity, environmental change, and the gradual shift in acoustic density from urban areas to high mountains. The daily forest trains are central to this soundscape. Their whistles are sonic memories shared by residents and visitors, while station vendors often gather when the train arrives.
Natural sounds form the background canvas, while the passing train acts like a brushstroke that blends motion, voices, and landscape. Weather and altitude further transform the acoustic environment: sudden rain may quiet the forest, while after tourists leave, hidden wildlife emerges in the recordings. The edited recordings have been published on podcast platforms and the global sound map aporee.org, forming an open sound archive organized by location, theme and interviewee.
The project also created audiovisual “Forest Railway Sound and Images” integrating train movement, mountain winds, water echoes, wildlife, and village life. Together, these works invite audiences to experience Alishan through listening and demonstrate how soundscape documentation can support exhibitions, education, cultural interpretation, immersive storytelling, and local cultural revitalization.
ISA Entrant: HAVE FUN CREATIVE
Project Video
