British artist records Beijing’s sounds before they fall silent

Chinnery, a British artist who has lived in Beijing since he was eight, is recording the sounds of the hutong to preserve the past, as he feels some may soon disappear forever. Photo: China Daily/ANN

Many of Beijing's traditional alleys, or hutong, used to offer a plethora of sights, smells and sounds including the distinctive din of man-made pigeon whistles, and hawkers selling snacks.

Yet as the capital has developed and technology marches on, the sounds emanating from these alleyways have gradually diminished as people tend to ignore goings-on a few feet from their gadgets, and heavy traffic and high-rises keep many confined to cars and office towers.