Unveiling 2023’s happiest cities in China: Chenzhou and Hangzhou take the lead

The annual 2023 China’s Happiest Cities conference was held in Chenzhou, the capital of Hunan province, revealing China‘s happiest cities of the year yesterday (November 24).

The top 10 happiest cities, including Chenzhou, a UNESCO creative city for gastronomy, and Hangzhou, once praised as a paradise city by Italian traveller Marco Polo, were disclosed.

In addition to Chenzhou and Hangzhou, other cities on this list include Ningbo, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Changsha, Xiangyang, Hohhot, Xingtai, and Taiyuan. This survey and selection process, now in its 17th consecutive year, is supported by Oriental Outlook magazine, operated by Xinhua News Agency.

During a video conference, Liu Jiayin, the deputy director of Xinhua News Agency, said that many leading cities have embarked on new missions as they strive towards high-quality development, reported Sanook.

Beyond the selected happiest cities, eleven additional cities have been named as the happiest at the regional level in China. Furthermore, eleven county-level cities and ten urban districts have been chosen as the happiest places.

“Italian traveller Marco Polo once praised Hangzhou as a paradise city. Today, it is one of the top ten happiest cities in China.”

The deputy director of Xinhua News Agency, Liu Jiayin, remarked:

“Many leading cities have embarked on new missions as they strive towards high-quality development.

“Eleven additional cities have been named as the happiest at the regional level in China. Furthermore, eleven county-level cities and ten urban districts have been chosen as the happiest places.”

Nestled at the crossroads of Hunan, Guangdong, and Jiangxi Provinces, Chenzhou boasts an extraordinary wealth of geothermal resources, making it a veritable haven for hot springs enthusiasts in South China. Renowned as the epicenter of hot springs in the country, Chenzhou’s thermal havens offer a plethora of minerals and micro-dose elements, endowing bathers with myriad benefits for the human body.

Situated at the southern terminus of the Grand Canal, also known as the Jing–Hang Grand Canal in China, Hangzhou played a crucial role in this remarkable waterway. Stretching a staggering 1,104 miles to the northern capital city, Beijing, the Grand Canal stands as the longest in the world. Formerly known as Hangchew and Hangchow, Hangzhou acquired its present name in 589 and stands as one of China’s ancient capitals.