What the study found
The study found a stable structural correspondence between objective acoustic indicators and subjective auditory experience in six grottoes in the Xiang Tang Shan Grottoes. It also found that key acoustic parameters change systematically with spatial scale and form.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors say this helps address the lack of an auditory perceptual dimension in traditional grotto typologies dominated by material form. They conclude that soundscape, meaning the acoustic environment as experienced through hearing, could be used as an analytical dimension and extended toward a typological research approach.
What the researchers tested
The researchers investigated the acoustic and auditory perceptual characteristics of six representative grottoes in the Xiang Tang Shan Grottoes. They compared objective acoustic indicators with subjective auditory experience and examined how acoustic parameters varied with spatial scale and form.
What worked and what didn't
The results showed systematic differentiation in key acoustic parameters as spatial scale and form changed. The objective acoustic indicators were reported to correspond stably with subjective auditory experience, and the main acoustic characteristics fell within a moderate range of the broader acoustic distribution of religious architectural spaces.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe detailed limitations or caveats beyond the study's focus on six representative grottoes. It also does not provide the specific acoustic measures used or the full basis for the proposed typological extension.
Key points
- Six representative grottoes in the Xiang Tang Shan Grottoes were studied.
- Objective acoustic indicators showed a stable correspondence with subjective auditory experience.
- Key acoustic parameters changed systematically with spatial scale and form.
- The main acoustic characteristics fell within a moderate range of religious architectural spaces.
- The authors propose treating soundscape as an analytical dimension centered on auditory perception.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Grotto acoustics match auditory perception across spatial forms
- Authors:
- Yingchun Cao, Bowen Zhang, Shiqiu Li, Naiyu Xie
- Institutions:
- Jiangsu University of Science and Technology
- Publication date:
- 2026-04-04
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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