Looking back on 2025 through sound revealed how much of Beijing had come to life through its auditory identity. While cities are often remembered through visual landmarks, this year showed how seasonal acoustics shaped the capital's character.
Spring announced itself with roaring winds sweeping through avenues and thunder echoing between buildings. Summer brought cicadas' electric chorus blending with subway doors clattering and synchronized footsteps during rush hours. Autumn softened the city with rustling leaves and park whispers, while winter introduced sudden silence broken only by the hum of centralized heating systems north of the Huai River.
This acoustic tapestry revealed Beijing's dual nature – a metropolis balancing rapid urban rhythms with moments of seasonal respite. The heating system's winter hum, a legacy of regional infrastructure planning, became an unexpected marker of comfort as residents awaited spring's return.
