Chengdu tops list as China’s happiest city

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Chengdu, hometown of the panda, spicy hot pot and mahjong, came in first in the annual rank of China’s 10 happiest cities, according to survey results announced on December 8.

The survey, conducted by the weekly magazine Oriental Outlook since 2007 is based on 10 metrics, from urban environment and job opportunities to public security. This year, over 14 million people took the survey, which assessed 194 cities.

A panda at the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas in Chengdu. /Xinhua Photo

Chengdu, the capital of southwest China’s Sichuan Province has topped the list for the last three years. The city has been well-known for its long standing history, delicious Sichuan cuisine and the reserve of pandas. But what makes it an attractive place to live also seems to have a lot to do with its slower pace of life.

In recent years, Chengdu has witnessed a vigorous development in cultural and high-tech industry, which makes it a magnet for people wanting to settle down as well.

The city provides job opportunities to lure young talent, while various brand music festivals, fashion week activities and book fairs, add character to the city’s vigorous cultural industry.

Children play roll-skating in Chengdu. /Chinanews Photo

Hangzhou and Ningbo, in east China’s Zhejiang Province came in second and third on the list of happiest cities. Cities that make up the rest of the list are, in order: Nanjing, Changchun, Xi'an, Changsha, Taizhou, Tongchuan and Xuzhou.

Noticeably, the 10 happiest cities in 2017 are all second and third-tier cities, excluding Beijing and Shanghai, the two world-known metropolises. The two both appeared on 2015 and 2016 lists, but dropped off this year’s list for reasons that include increasing stress, pollution and traffic.