Introduction

The five senses of human, namely eyes, ears, nose, tongue and body(skin), are respectively responsible for visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, tactile and sensory functions (including heat and humidity), and they communicate with the external environment with multiple information. Human beings are closely connected with the environment in various ways. People’s perception and appreciation of the surroundings is the overall impression and judgment process formed by the synthesis of multiple senses. Contemporary landscape theory tends to concentrate on the visual physical landscape too much, while neglecting the auditory, olfactory and tactile senses and other feelings of the landscape as well as the lightscape, which is a special type of visual landscape, leading to an incompleteness of the overall perception and aesthetic experience of that particular landscape.

Human being’s mindset, emotions and creative thinking are influenced by the physical characteristics and spatial patterns of outer environment (Lee and Lee 2023). This paper attempts to analyze how some special “sound” and “light” environment influence on “listening” and “reading”–two main behaviors for human communication and cultural transmission, and then on human perception (Fig. 1). Based on the intrinsic correlation between the outer environment and the perception of the human mind, the concept from ancient human about emphasizing “quiet” and “dark” environments in life, especially when reading or studying, is extremely scientific and healthy. “Soundscape” and quiet environment have the same logical rationale, also “lightscape” and dark/low light environment. All these echoes highlight that the simple human wisdom in life is consistent with the theories of modern environmental science essentially and in root.

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Sound and light environment influence human perception

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Sound environment and soundscape

Sound’s role of cultural transmission and its spatial/temporal dimensions

In the long historical period before invention of writing, human beings have always relied on oral and aural communication, even the spread of culture and technology., so education has always been conducted by listening to lectures (Fig. 2). Even today, education still relies heavily on teachers teaching and stu

dents listening. This is why Confucius emphasized the importance of "obedience to the ear" [“耳顺”], and Xunzi also said that "the voice enters into the heart" [“声入心通”]. Historically, literature from all over the world has also been created and transmitted via verbal communication. The Homeric epics, for example, were not the product of writing, but rather the work of the procession singers who passed them on by word of mouth. Ancient Chinese literature also relied on storytellers to create and disseminate. This is evidenced by the fact that all ancient chapter books end with the phrase "please listen to the next chapter" [“请听下回分解”].

Fig. 2
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Painted scroll of Confucius’ lecture (Confucius Museaum collected)

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In order to improve the acoustic environment of human habitation, we must focus on the two dimensions of space and time, and adhere to the three scales of macro, meso and micro to divide the bustling area, bustling time, buffer zone and buffer time, quiet area and quiet time. Noisy everywhere, all the time is highly undesirable. Especially for places for reading, listening and thinking, such as classrooms, reading rooms, libraries, study rooms, etc., it is important to provide good interior acoustic design to create a quiet time and space.

Soundscape and the concept of “Quiet Area”

Soundscape refers to the acoustic environment as perceived by an individual, group or community within a given scene (ISO 2014). The beginning of the soundscape discipline was marked by the “World Soundscape Program” initiated by Canadian composer R. Murray Schafer in the 1960s, and the 2002 EU “Environmental Noise Assessment and Management Directive” (2002/49 / EC) initiated a series of policies and major issues in Europe that were milestones in the development of soundscape.

Soundscape focuses on human perception and its interaction with the environment, forming a cross-complementary relationship with environmental acoustics. Nowadays, soundscape practice has played a unique role in enhancing environmental quality, health healing and artistic creation (Figs. 3 and 4) (Jianzhen et al. 2022).

Fig. 3
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‘Cutting Edge’ Soundscape Sculpture, Sheffield, UK (Ed O’Keeffe 2011)

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Fig. 4
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‘Soundscape’, Tamar Park, HK (Gold Award, Design For Asia Award 2014) (Edmond Wong Studio 2015)

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The EU Directive 2002/49 / EC defines the importance of Quiet Areas and divides them into two types: open countryside areas which are not disturbed by noise from traffic, industrial and recreational activities, and agglomerations where the daytime and night-time sound pressure levels or other applicable noise indicators are lower than the prescribed values (Directive 2002). The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), in its 2006 policy document, proposed a process for identifying short- and long-term quiet zones (Defra 2006), as well as more stringent acoustic protection measures on specific types of sites (e.g., churches, courtyards, cemeteries, etc.), in order to provide environments for "quiet contemplation" ODPM (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister), 2002). The Swedish government has proposed the creation of a "Quiet Side" to reduce the level of acoustic annoyance in residential areas, and to include the creation of quiet areas in urban planning strategies (Bodin et al. 2015).

“Quiet Area” and healthy environments

Soundscape revolutionized the research perspective on sound environment from decibel-based noise control to a focus on potential positive qualities and introducing a new qualitative perspective on the management of sound environment (Vogiatzis and Remy 2014). “Quiet Area” is a particularly important concept in soundscape for improving human well-being.

The delineation of “Quiet Area” considers comprehensively objective acoustic indicators such as urban quietness index, tranquility ratings, in addition to the measurement of ambient sound levels (Aletta et al. 2016; Pheasant et al. 2008; Tsaligopoulos et al. 2021). Some research have pointed out that reference can be made to multidimensionality of the perception of the individual or the community, such as the visual impression, accessibility, and non-acoustic factors of environmental and cultural qualities (Brambilla & Maffei 2006; Cerwén & Mossberg 2019). The Quiet Areas Definition and Management Action Plans (QU.A.D.M.A.P), co-funded by the EU LIFE + 2010 Financial Program, has developed and tested a standardized procedure to be applied by urban planners in their practice of selecting, evaluating and managing quiet areas in order to identify, delineate and prioritize Quiet Urban Areas (QUAs) (Licitra et al. 2011).

Health and well-being experience are prioritized in the implementation and management of “Quiet Areas”. In Paris, the government defines quiet areas not only based on analyzing noise maps and geographical information, but also taking the comments of local residents and on-site perception assessments into account (Duguet et al. 2012); Candidate Quiet Areas (CQAs) in Scotland take into account other data such as the size of public gardens, open spaces and open land, in addition to sound pressure levels; public gardens, urban parks and urban squares in urban areas are considered to be the preferred Candidate Quiet Areas in England as they are more likely to bring significant health, well-being and a high quality of life to the surrounding community (Payne & Bruce 2019).

There is a growing number of research showing the positive effects of quiet environments in enhancing creativity and the breadth of attention, increasing work performance, improving human health and alleviating negative feelings. Quiet environments can enhance individual creativity and expand attention breadth (Kasof 1997). Expand attention range; Quiet working environment can increase cognitive resources allocated to target task (Becker et al. 1995), enhance individual’s working memory (Jones 1993), and improve human study and work efficiency (Szalma & Hancock 2011, Samani 2012). Staying in a quiet environment can effectively alleviate people’s negative feelings such as stress (Hillier et al. 2006) and worries (Coensel et al. 2009); and, quiet areas itself have positive health benefits as well as healing effects (Zhongming et al. 2023; Amabile & Gryskiewicz 1989).

Therefore, listening and meditation in dark or low light environment are not only conducive to the learning and dissemination of knowledge and creative thinking, but also helpful for the for energy consumption of lighting and realize the goal of low carbon.

The modern term "dark environment experience" refers to the special visual experience that occurs under the natural night sky or under artificially dark environmental conditions. The perceptual mechanisms of body-mind interaction are the basis of the dark environment experience. Compared to visual perception in bright environments, darker environments tend to actively blur perceptual boundaries and thinking styles (Steidle et al. 2011), and their mental experience may also be accompanied by a sense of hiding or liberation from moral constraints (Zhong et al. 2010). Darker-based environments tend to stimulate the experiencer to feel the mournful emotions of important and heavy historical stories (Lv et al. 2022). Dark tourism bases on the perception law mentioned above, set up in a specific light environment with reflection, remembrance from the educational significance of the experience in the place. New York World Trade Center, Nan**g Massacre Victims Memorial Museum, etc. or the use of black materials, or in the process of touring the design of weak light in the dark atmosphere to create a unique tourism experience (Jiaojiao 2018). Moreover, the use of dark environments to create specific atmospheres in artistic creations is also well known, as in the case of the Sonic Cradle, a meditation experience designed by Simon Fraser University in Canada, where an interactive pressure management system balances the user’s control in a dark environment to foster an immersive meditation experience (Vidyarthi et al. 2012).

Lightscape and dark environment experience

Lightscape

The academic concept of “lightscape” is defined by the first author of this paper (Shuo** ye kuo) and “star shadows swaying” (星影摇摇欲坠 xing ying yao yao yu zhui) in this excellent dark sky environment. He-huan Mountain International Dark Sky Park, located in the Taroko National Park and Huangshan Mountain Forest Park, Taiwan, has been built as a destination for year-round star-gazing (Fig. 6). Shenzhen is the first city in China to designate a “dark sky protection area” as part of special urban lighting planning. Now, the construction of the Dapeng Star Park and the Shenzhen Dark Sky Protection Demonstration Area, along with other projects are in progress. Shenzhen **chong will become the first International Dark Sky Community in China, presenting a beautiful night sky by reducing overall background brightness and limiting artificial lighting, attracting fireflies to return with its superior ecological environment (Fig. 7), thereby creating a rich lightscape experience for this young city.

Fig. 6
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He-huan Mountain Dark Sky Park, Nantou County, Taiwan (IDA 2019)

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Fig. 7
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Fireflies under star trail around the Shenzhen observatory (IDA 2023b)

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Suggestions

This paper advocates the restoration of the ancestral circadian rhythm of human living and the corresponding sound and light environment where possible. “Reading” and “listening” may strengthen the absorption and understanding of knowledge by listening to the world and also our inner voice in a quiet and dark environment. When we learn and contemplate in a quiet and dark environment in a meditative way, it is beneficial to harvesting the results of innovative thinking. The “dark sky project” is conducive to the presentation of a fantastic natural lightscape, which is the practical embodiment of lightscape concept, e.g., “scientific, ecological and environmental protection” landscape is the best. Darkness is also beneficial to a healthier and better sound and light environment, and it also contributes to energy saving and sustainability goals in human settlements environment.