Chengdu City Soundscapes

Every city has a background track, and this is Chengdu's. Rain landing on grey tiled rooftops in the Wide and Narrow Alleys. Mahjong the old way — tiles rubbed by hand — next to the electric shuffler that replaced it. The subway humming below streets that are centuries older. And Xian Chou Le, the local phrase meaning I will deal with it later, which is really the sound of the whole city agreeing to relax.