China's Hangzhou rated "happiest city" for 13 consecutive years

          Eastern Chinese city Hangzhou was rated as one of the country's cities that offer their citizens utmost happiness at the 2019 China Happy Cities Forum on November 25. This was the 13th time for Hangzhou to win the title, the only city with such an achievement across the country, and it was also named as a demonstration model happy city, a special honor from the event's organizing committee.

          Happiness is a subjective feeling of people's satisfaction with life. The "happiest city" is the highest praise that a city can get from its citizens. Then, where does the happiness of Hangzhou dwellers come from?

          This happiness is rooted in the hearts of local people. Compared with other cities in China, Hangzhou pays more attention to people's feelings about the city. From the convenient high-quality public services to the sound all-round multi-field social governance, Hangzhou empowers every dweller with confidence, hope and drive.

          This happiness also comes from the city's steady development. Hangzhou is speeding up the development of the first digital economy city and the gathering place of global entrepreneurs among others, so that every entrepreneur and innovator coming to Hangzhou can have the opportunity to realize his dream and live a rich life.

          Harmony with nature has contributed to Hangzhou dwellers' happiness too. The happiness lies in lucid waters and lush mountains as the city is pushing ahead with sophisticated urban governance, enabling a forest coverage rate of 66.83 percent. Hangzhou has three world cultural heritage sites, namely the West Lake, the Grand Canal and the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City. People living in the ancient capital of Hangzhou with a history of over one thousand years can experience the high-quality ecological life in the full enjoyment of nature every day.

          The city's historical reputation and scientific and orderly modern governance have jointly lifted Hangzhou's happiness competitiveness. Not long ago, several foreign media organizations pointed out in their publications that Hangzhou, a city full of natural scenery and modern civilization, has been the source of inspiration for China's vitality in the past one thousand years.

          Hangzhou's happiness is undoubtedly diversified, and these sources of happiness are only some of them. Diverse senses of happiness are integrated into the subtle texture of Hangzhou, shaping people's daily happy life.

          Source: The 2019 China Happy Cities Forum