New Dawn:
CHANG² Suite, Fengshui Engine,
and Yon Net, etc.
Research on the mysterious entity known as "Hui" (迴) has lurked behind the soundscape studies proposed by scholars since the 1960s and later by musicians in their approach to environmental music. Although we have continued to study the subject without the public's knowledge, the complex ecology and technological limitations of "Hui" have prevented us from unraveling the many mysteries surrounding the entities, and have left us foggy in our research. Over the past year, we have been collecting and organizing old research materials and thanks to today's advanced digital technology and environment, we have been able to conduct new research. We plan to archive all kinds of data, including research materials, history, and field recordings, on this site.
I am writing this text during a late-night bus ride home from the institute. Over the past few weeks, we have been diligently developing and refining the chang² suite, often working late into the night and occasionally missing the bus. Despite the fatigue, we are driven by the conviction that this software will revolutionize the study of 迴, and our fascination with the entity itself, particularly its progressively increasing resolution.
On this bus journey, I am both tired and sleepy, yet filled with excitement about sharing the results of our research with the world. This article documents the journey in creating the chang² suite and the innovative technologies it employs.
The chang² suite systematically organizes and arranges ᏗᎷᏰᎥᎥᏋᏁᏖ music within modern DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) software. Drawing from the initial prototype⁰¹, which I designed for my initial attempts to emerge 迴, the system now generates music in a linear and sequenced format closely resembling a DAW.
Our progress stood a considerable standstill after achieving our first successful emergence (chang² alpha) on March 10. Both prototype⁰¹ and chang² alpha were built on my old computer, which had reached its performance limits. Determined to obtain new equipment, we pursued funding through part-time jobs, grants, and various other means.
Finally, in October, fall arrived, and with it, we managed to secure new parts and assemble a powerful new computer. This upgraded hardware facilitated the implementation of the localization system Geoscope, line-modeling, and complemented the unstable chang² alpha version, enabling further development and plug-in design. The chang² system was now on its path to completion, and our prospects were promising.
Fengshui Engine
Ancient Fengshui geographic data used for training Fengshui Engine module,
© the Research Center of Hui, 2021
A fundamental understanding of the geographic environment is crucial in studying the 迴. These entities are highly sensitive to their surroundings, and specialized tools, such as geographic antennas capable of detecting areas with concentrated activity, significantly enhance the success rate of summoning 迴 during an emerging session. The detection of 迴 activities and signals has evolved into distinct techniques and methodologies across various regions worldwide, and only a few individuals have mastered all of these approaches. Despite the unfathomable patterns in which 迴 constantly change, these techniques are essential for researchers to track and study them.
The prevailing geographic localization system utilized worldwide is the Geoscope software. Developed in the 1970s, Geoscope has continuously improved and upgraded over the years. However, its fundamental model has remained unchanged: Geoscope can detect vortices but continually influences its surrounding environment. This interaction between the Geoscope's signals and the 迴 field inevitably leads to interference and distortion in the 迴 field, rendering the manifestation of 迴 unstable and susceptible to external influences. Enhancing Geoscope presents one of the most challenging research problems in the field today, with discussions and efforts taking place across the globe.
An early alpha build of Fengshui Engine, © the Research Center of Hui, 2021
During the chang² alpha upgrade, we integrated Geoscope as a plug-in and repeated the emerging, but the 迴 was unstable. It became evident that the shortcomings of Geoscope necessitated the development of our own localization system based on its principles. Our attention was drawn to the ancient Chinese practice of feng shui, which has been passed down through the ages.
Feng shui is an ancient Chinese concept centered on "controlling the flow of qi through object placement" to determine the good or bad fortune of cities, dwellings, buildings, tombs, and more locations. Based on literary clues, it is plausible that the individuals who introduced the concept of feng shui in ancient China possessed clairaudience, enabling them to perceive the presence of 迴 as "chi flow" and subsequently connecting it to the physical geographical environment, thereby devising their unique ideas and methods. Their approach to detecting the presence of 迴 stands in contrast to Geoscope, a product of Western-developed physical technology.
The chang² suite now incorporates its own localization system known as the Fengshui Engine. This system learns from ancient Chinese records of fengshui blueprints and methodologies. By minimizing disturbances to the 迴 field and the manifestation of 迴, it opens up new possibilities for conducting research on 迴. Furthermore, we are actively working on an independent VST plug-in version of the Fengshui Engine.
Yon Net
A resonator built from Yon Net and iPad,
Photo = Naoki Takehisa, © the Research Center of Hui, 2022
Yon net is a new technology used in the emerging by chang² suite. It is a bright white, translucent net-like material with a metallic sheen, but actually plays an important role as an amplifier.
In theory, any digital device capable of generating arbitrary radio waves can function as a "resonator," bridging the gap between the reality and cyber-sound environment inhabited by 迴. However, in most emerging cases, amplification of these signals becomes necessary to stabilize and condition the environment. Even when employing analog instruments to play ᏗᎷᏰᎥᎥᏋᏁᏖ music during an emerging session, specific components are intricately designed and incorporated into the instrument. On the contrary, yon net offers a convenient solution by being easily placed on a digital device to perform such functions.
The essence of yon net lies in its unique fiber derived from the medicinal herb "yon yon," cherished by the enigmatic "moomoo" tribe dwelling deep within the African jungle. During their rituals, the moomoo tribe harvested vast quantities of yon yon to adorn their priests and as incense. Notably, there are accounts of individuals seeking LSD or drug-like effects by consuming a soup brewed with yon yon to push their clairaudience to the limit. The moomoo tribal rituals represent some of the oldest collective emerging ceremonies, extensively employing the power of yon yon in their pursuit.
Two high priests from the ancient moomoo tribe, © the Research Center of Hui, c.1940s
At this research stage, one intriguing property of yon yon has come to light—it appears to be a dual plant, existing in both the physical realm of real space and the digital realm of cyberspace. The yon net, crafted from fibers of yon yon, seems to function like a delicate string extending from numerous instances in real space to the vast expanse of cyberspace during emergence. This extension facilitates the transmission of vibrations and creates an amplification effect.
While yon researchers have devoted considerable time to studying the physical form of yon yon and have harnessed it as a material (yon net), exploring its digital form remains an ongoing endeavor. Fully grasping the digital nature of yon yon holds the promise of taking emerging, previously bound to the confines of real space, into the realm of complete online existence someday.