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The Quality of Life in China

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Abstract

The Asia Barometer Survey of 2,000 respondents reveals that substantial majorities of the Chinese people experience feelings of happiness, enjoyment, and accomplishment. In fact, the proportion experiencing these indicators of a high quality of life are larger in China than in some more prosperous countries. Favorable historical comparison, sustained high economic growth, satisfaction with interpersonal life, and a high percentage of married people are among the explanations for China’s prevalence of subjective well-being. The Chinese people’s high levels of satisfaction with their interpersonal, material, and nonmaterial life domains, their positive assessments of their relative living standards, and their high rate of marriage are three direct positive influences on subjective well-being. Value priorities and other demographic characteristics also have indirect bearings on subjective well-being in China.

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Correspondence to Xiaoling Shu or Yifei Zhu.

Appendices

Appendices

Table A1 Variables used in estimation of subjective well-being
Table A2 Comparison of basic statistics across ABS2006, Women’s 2000, and Chinese Health and Family Life Survey

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Shu, X., Zhu, Y. The Quality of Life in China. Soc Indic Res 92, 191–225 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-008-9350-4

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