This approach now also has a stronger legal footing. On Saturday, China"s Ecological and Environmental Code came into force, with a dedicated section on noise pollution prevention and control.

　　The scale of the problem is reflected in noise complaints. In 2025, cities at the prefecture level and above received about 6.83 million noise-related complaints, with social-life noise accounting for 73.2 percent.

　　Noise from neighbors, equipment malfunctions and disturbances from square dancing, a popular group exercise in China often held by middle-aged and older residents in public spaces, were among the most common issues raised.

　　China"s quiet-community program is designed to address such problems before they become recurring disputes. "Quiet communities do not mean that there should be no sound," said Lu Lu, deputy head of the noise management division at the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

　　The goal, Lu said, is to create a comfortable and harmonious living environment while balancing everyday activity with residents" need for quiet.

　　The solutions vary from place to place. In south China"s Shenzhen, some newly built residential communities are incorporating noise control at the planning and design stage. Measures include low-noise pavements, vegetation buffers, separated pedestrian and vehicle routes, and automatic noise-monitoring equipment.

　　Older communities are using renovation projects to address noise concerns. In Xiaoshan District in east China"s Hangzhou, Huiyu garden community replaced aging elevators and repaired drainage grates and other public facilities as part of its quiet-community program.

　　But physical upgrades alone cannot settle conflicts between neighbors.