The Influence of Soundscapes and Visual Landscape Evaluation in Taoist Temples on Spatial Worship Experience

This study investigates the soundscape of Taoist temples and its influence on visitors’ worship experiences, integrating auditory perception, visual landscape evaluation, and emotional and experiential responses into a comprehensive analytical framework. Based on questionnaire surveys conducted in multiple Taoist temples, the study examines how different sound sources affect soundscape evaluation and how this evaluation shapes perceptual and experiential outcomes. The results indicate that Taoist ritual sounds (e.g., ritual music and chanting) play a significant positive role in shaping visitors’ soundscape evaluation, whereas artificial sounds related to general human activities show a negative effect. Soundscape evaluation is found to significantly influence visual landscape evaluation and emotional perception, and further contributes to visitors’ overall temple experience. Visual landscape evaluation is found to partially mediate the relationship between soundscape evaluation and emotional perception, while emotional perception further mediates the relationship between soundscape evaluation and temple experience. A comparison across sensory dimensions suggests that soundscape evaluation exerts a relatively stronger influence on temple experience than visual landscape evaluation, highlighting the important role of auditory experience in religious and cultural environments. The study also identifies a synergistic interaction between auditory and visual evaluation, indicating that multisensory integration can enhance the overall experiential quality of Taoist temples. Overall, this research provides empirical insights into the role of soundscapes in religious spaces and offers practical implications for the design, management, and optimization of multisensory environments in Taoist temples.