'Noisiest park in the world' pipes down

Chengdu

AS THE Happy Runxin and Glad Tidings performing troupes squared off in the Chengdu People's Park on a recent morning, the newly installed noise monitors flashed to life, their digits registering each potential transgression by the park's famously boisterous amateur dancers and musicians.

As Happy Runxin's band struck up saxophones, trumpets, oboes and drums, a monitor next to the troupe flickered to life: 75 decibels. Then, while older dancers sashayed in red dresses before the hundreds of onlookers, a choir of dozens warbled. The volume jumped to 85 decibels.