True meaning of quality life

Comment on "Chongqing makes happiest list" (China Daily, Dec 28)

The interesting survey tells us that Chongqing is the only municipality on the list of China's 10 happiest cities in 2010.

It's surprising that many of China's first-tier cities, such as Beijing and Shanghai, are not on the list. It makes us think why people living in metropolises are not as happy as those living in some second-tier or even third-tier cities.

The story also tells us that 20 criteria were used to evaluate people's happiness index, including interpersonal intimacy, job openings, quality of educational, traffic, professionalism in healthcare, housing prices, natural environments, economic development, culture and entertainment, and civility.

Big cities have the advantage in fields such as employment, education, medical service and economic development. But these factors cannot offset the tremendous pressure of living in a metropolis.

I think housing prices are the top obstacle to happiness for people living in big cities. A majority of people cannot afford the extremely high housing prices in big cities.

Job pressure, traffic jams and environmental pollution are the other factors that lower the happiness index of metropolis residents.

Governments at all levels should reconsider the advantages and disadvantages of urbanization. And ordinary people like us should rethink the true meaning of quality living.

Zhiyuan, via e-mail

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(China Daily 12/31/2010 page9)