Apparently We’re Living in China’s Most Comfortable City

Many words come to mind when I think of Beijing. On the up side we have “amazing historical sites” (the ones that haven’t been flattened) and a “great range of cheap food.” On the down side there are factors like “pollution,” “overcrowding” and “traffic.” “Comfort,” however, has never really been an attribute I’ve associated with the city, but according to the Global Times a recent survey has found Beijing to be the “most comfortable” city in China.

A study by Beijing-based Horizonkey asked residents from cities throughout China, “Which city do you think is the most comfortable to live in?” Beijing made it to the top because “low crime rate and political privileges trumped environmental factors in the rankings,” according to researchers.

While Beijing was regarded as China’s most comfortable city by 9.6 percent of respondents, the top answer – at a whopping 20 percent – was actually “Don’t know.”

“Obviously the general feeling is no city in China comes quite close to being called comfortable for most people,” stated a Beijing resident quoted in the article.

The survey is far from scientific and may leave many in Beijing wondering where to find this comfort as temperatures start to slide towards freezing over winter.

Horizonkey has also conducted surveys on China’s best city at event marketing (Qingdao won with its popular annual beer festival) and China’s “sexiest” city (predictably won by Shanghai).

Forthcoming studies include China’s “unhappiest city” and “best for women.”