As mentioned in the previous entry, the stress, hearing loss and disruption to everyday activities associated with Guangchang Wu’s deafeningly loud music has caused quite a hullabaloo amongst nearby residents.
With the lack of targeted measures in place to tackle the root cause of this issue, I would like to explore some possible solutions that could address the noise problem more effectively.
With the insufficient supply of green and public areas away from residential zones, it appears that the perfect solution is to build more of these amenities for the elderly to engage in their exercise and social activities (Zhou, 2014). However, the lack and rising costs of space in Chinese cities poses a huge financial and geographical barrier to the feasibility of this proposed measure (Zhou, 2014).
Furthermore, the building of these open, green spaces further away from areas of residential living may not necessarily encourage more of these ‘dancing grannies’ to move away from their usual hangout spots. While open, green spaces are prized resources for city dwellers to engage in physical activities, ‘community factors’ (Wang et al., 2019: 5) such as the proximity of these green spaces from residential homes, travelling time spent, convenience of transport and mobility issues also play a crucial role in incentivising the elderly to travel to these distant locations that are further away from where they live.
Moving forward, perhaps a more practical solution would be to implement a shift in the music transmission from loud speakers to personalised wireless earplugs. This silent-disco solution helps to control and reduce the urban clamour whilst handing these ‘dancing grannies’ the autonomy to adjust their music volumes according to their personal comfort levels with little hassle (Zhou, 2014).
With trial schemes to wear these sound devices gradually being rolled out in Shanghai and Beijing (He, 2015; Wang, 2017), I am hopeful that Guangchang Wu can become a more widely appreciated dance and cultural artform that Chinese urban dwellers are proud of.
References:
He, H. (2015). Solution to ‘nuisance’ of China’s dancing grannies: make them wear earphones. Retrieved 12 February 2022, from https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/1794937/solution-nuisance-chinas-dancing-grannies-make-them-wear
Lijun Zhou (2014). Music Is Not Our Enemy, But Noise Should Be Regulated: Thoughts on Shooting/Conflicts Related to Dama Square Dance in China. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 85:3, 279-281.
Wang, H., Dai, X., Wu, J., Wu, X., & Nie, X. (2019). Influence of urban green open space on residents’ physical activity in China. BMC public health, 19:1, 1-12.
Wang, L. (2017). Beijing’s Dancing Grannies Put on Headphones. Retrieved 12 February 2022, from https://www.sixthtone.com/news/2057/beijings-dancing-grannies-put-on-headphones