Finding Happiness

Young and old, experts and average people, join in the search for happiness in a rapidly changing China By Tang Yuankai

Finding Happiness

Young and old, experts and average people, join in the search for happiness in a rapidly changing China By Tang Yuankai

In February, Niu Weiwei, a 19-yearold Chinese woman, was invited to Copenhagen in Denmark to experience Danish happiness and deliver the Chinese understanding of happiness to the country as well.

Niu is from Shenyang, capital of northeastern China’s Liaoning Province. She won the title of Ms. Happiness after defeating thousands of competitors across China.

As the winner, the young woman, who was studying fashion and design at Shenyang Normal University, secured a contract with the Scoop Models of Copenhagen, a famous Danish model agency. Also, she received guidance from the company’s president Bente Lundquist, and a training opportunity.

It was the first time for a foreign fashion company to select its spokeswoman in China through competition. “We want to exchange the understanding of happiness with the Chinese people through this activity,” said Lundquist.

View on happiness

“Face everything with a smile. Conquer everything with effort. Make everybody around feel my happiness.” This was Niu’s declaration of happiness. She is determined to honor the declaration with concrete actions.

“I am a typical Chinese girl. Family is the essential source of happiness. It is the driving force behind my every effort. My mother suffers from heart attack. I will never leave my parents,” said Niu while answering questions during the selection.

Her words found sympathy with the audience. “I haven’t seen my parents for nearly a month, because I have been constantly away for business trips,” said Hu Dongdong, a spectator of the competition. Hu, 38 years old with a high salary, a wealthy husband and an adorable son, leads a life that most people of her age envy.

But she never thought about whether her family was happy. She was busy working every day but forgot real happiness came from family getting together.

WINNER’S SMILE: Niu Weiwei (center) poses for a photo with the judges—Michael Holm (right) and President of the Scoop Models of Copenhagen Bente Lundquist, after winning the title of Ms. Happiness in Beijing on January 11, 2012

Currently in China, there are many people like Hu, who seem to have it all but are not happy at the bottom of their hearts.

“I used to be eager to get rich so that I could create a better life for my parents and my child. I sacrificed a lot. Finally, I succeeded. Now I am able to give them the best living conditions. But I found out what really makes them happy is spending more time with me,”said Ye Zhujun, manager of a foreign-funded company in China.

According to a report published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in October 2011, the Danish citizens were the happiest across the world. China ranked the eighth.

Surveys on feelings of happiness have been conducted at times. But the results were not always as expected. Rises in commodity prices, high housing prices and corruption were the major reasons for the public dissatisfaction.

A new course

Since many people are anxious about seeking happiness, it is a good time for scientists to make academic breakthroughs by presenting great solutions.

At the Antai College of Economics and Management of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, researchers are trying to explore the impact of rapid economic and social development on the level of happiness.

Christopher Hsee, a professor with the Graduate School of Business at the University of Chicago, is one of the pioneers who introduced happiness research into China. Committed to discovering the factors that influence happiness and interpersonal relationships, Hsee named the new discipline“Hedonomics,” which means the pursuit of happiness. Here, “happiness” means a kind of long-term subjective well-being, rather than short-term ease and comfort. In the research, the major challenge lies in how to elevate the level of happiness.

When studying psychology in Germany, Ni Zijun was surprised to find that positive psychology, a discipline she had never heard of, had replaced the principles of economics as the most popular course at Harvard University. “As far as I know, the principle of economics taught by N. Gregory Mankiw had occupied the first place for years,” said Ni. After returning to China, Ni spent most of her time researching into positive psychology. She is now the president of Asian Institute of Positive Psychology.

The basic rules for happiness are applicable to people across the world, said Ni. It has been proved that the three factors—genes, living environment, and personal attitude—contribute 50 percent, 10 percent and 40 percent respectively to one’s feeling of happiness.

“We have 40-percent control of our happiness,” said Ni.

According to her study, when per-capita GDP reaches $3,000, the level of happiness will no longer grow proportionally with wealth accumulation. “Material comfort can contribute to happiness to some degree, but to pursue real happiness, we have to make some psychological adjustment,” said Ni.

The English word “happiness” derives from an Icelandic word “Happ,” which means luck and opportunity. Everyone should try to find out the true meaning of happiness, rather than depending on luck for happiness, said Tal Ben-Shahar, the lecturer of positive psychology at Harvard University.

Ancient wisdom

Ben-Shahar is a former Israeli squash champion. He is one of the most outstanding graduates from Harvard University. Ben-Shahar said after feeling depressed for over 30 years, it was positive psychology that finally led him onto the path toward happiness. Its effects have amazed almost all the students who have attended his course. Positive psychologists seek to find and nurture genius and talent, and to make normal life more fulfilling. It does not deny the importance of studying how things go wrong, but rather to emphasize the importance of using the scientific method to determine how things go right.

An idea struck Ni—to invite Ben-Shahar to teach the Chinese people how to live a happy life in the modern society.

How can the Chinese people be happy? Ben-Shahar believes the recipe is contained in the Chinese culture. “I have to admit that sometimes I’m quite envious of my Chinese colleagues who can abandon themselves in the traditional Chinese culture,” said Ben-Shahar.

He said that in the pursuit of happiness, the Chinese people should resort to classics of ancient saints like theTao Te Ching—a Taoist classic—and theAnalects of Confucius.

TheTao Te Chingnoted that people should “be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” “If you look to others for fulfillment, you will never be truly fulfilled.” “If someone can cherish a hope before the results come out, he has a talent.” Ben-Shahar said these statements are full of wisdom.

In fact, many Chinese are trying to learn from Confucian, Buddhist and Taoist classics, and spread valuable thoughts to the public. Cai Lixu, an educationist, has been giving lectures on happy life at universities and communities both at home and abroad in recent years. His lectures have benefited a large number of people.

What’s more, Cai practiced the teachings of ancient saints with concrete actions in his life.

“If you want to live a happy life, first of all, you should adjust your view of happiness,” said Cai. He added when lost in finding happiness, one can always turn to the ancient Chinese wisdom for an answer.