In China, living in big cities does not necessarily lead to wealth and happiness. Yet a few people notice that small cities may bring you a better life.
According to The 2016 Development Report of Small & Medium-Sized Cities in China issued by The Development Index Study of Small & Medium-Sized Cities, the GDP of 19 out of the 100 top counties exceeded 100 billion RMB (about 15 billion USD) last year. These "billion-level”cities and counties have spearheaded a trend of healthy development of the regional economies. However, the citizens of these cities might not experience such a strong feeling as the ranking mainly applies the standard of GDP growth.
Although cities face all sorts of problems caused by rapid development, happiness of the residents is the most important thing. Thus, we found another list ranking 20 richest cities in China using the criteria of per capita GDP, living standard, and happiness index rather than GDP alone. An astonishing conclusion from the ranking is that many big cities like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou are not included.
Suzhou, Wuxi and Changzhou, three leading cities in Jiangsu, rank among the top 10 cities. Suzhou is placed the third after Dongguan city of south China’s Guangzhou Province and Karamay city of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The report refers to Suzhou as“the major tourism city in China, one of the central cities of the Yangtze River Delta, and a very important center of culture, art, education and transportation.
Feel proud? Here's a look at the reason why Suzhou, Wuxi, and Changzhou rank among the“Richest & Happiest”cities.
Landmarks
Landmarks are not random buildings, but symbols that pop into people’s minds whenever the city is mentioned. They often feature majesty, historicity, and singularity.
Oriental Gate of Suzhou City
Suning Plaza of Wuxi City
Dinosaur Theme Park of Changzhou City
Heritage Lanes
Bridges, rivers, heritage buildings… there must be something that makes you want to linger longer in these ancient lanes.
Shantang Street of Suzhou City
Rongxiang Lane of Wuxi City
Qingguo Lane of Changzhou City
Shopping Malls
Money is not everything, but without it, one can do nothing! However, you will always find what you need in these shopping centers no matter you are rich or not.
Shishan Road Shopping District in Suzhou City
Hang Lung Plaza of Wuxi City
Jiuzhou Shopping District of Changzhou City
Medical Services
From community clinics to city hospitals, the easy access to top quality medical service is essential to citizens' feeling of happiness.
The No. 1 Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University
The People’s Hospital of Wuxi City
The No.1 People’s Hospital of Changzhou City
With a fast-growing economy and a better living environment, I wish you could all come to be aware how happy we are living in Jiangsu!
（Editor / Wu Bin Mengxi Li）
