The Sound Studies Group is an international academic team dedicated to sound studies
across disciplines, regions, and institutions. From theory to practice, it explores all things related to sound. It also operates a Sound Lab in the School of Design, SUSTech Shenzhen.
Studies of Sound, Body and Medicine
Research Project
Exploring Sonic Perception, Diagnosis, and Healing Across Cultural Contexts
Qiushi Xu’s Team
2024-2026
#Sound And Body
#Medical Humanities
#Listening And Healing
This research project investigates the relationships between sound, body, and medicine across different cultural contexts, with a particular focus on the role of sound in processes of perception, diagnosis, and healing. Sound is approached not only as a sensory phenomenon, but also as a medium through which bodily states, emotions, and health conditions are interpreted and mediated.
The current focus of the research centers on Wenzhen (listening-based diagnosis) in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Wenzhen is a diagnostic practice grounded in attentive listening to bodily sounds, such as the voice, breath, and subtle sonic cues of the body. Its theoretical foundations can be traced to the theory of the Five Tones (Wuyin), which establishes systematic correspondences between sound, organs, emotions, and physiological balance.
Building on this foundation, the project further explores how Five-Tone theory may be extended and reinterpreted in contemporary contexts. Through interdisciplinary perspectives from sound studies, medical humanities, and embodied listening practices, the research examines the potential of sound-based approaches for emotional regulation and therapeutic experience, while reflecting on how traditional sonic knowledge can inform present-day understandings of health and care.
Contact
Sound Studies Group
● 声音研究科研组
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