Leisure Lifestyles in Urban China

Chinese leisure has received little attention from either Chinese or international scholars. Because of the long history of Chinese leisure, and because China has the largest population in the world, understanding Chinese leisure may greatly assist us in understanding the evolution of leisure in general and in predicting its future. Media habits (e.g., movies, reading, etc.) are considered the most important activities by urban Chinese. Social activities (visiting friends and relatives, dating, chatting, attending family gatherings) play important roles in Chinese urban daily life. Passive leisure, as a form of leisure, continues to play a dominant role in the leisure activities of the Chinese urban population. Among the passive leisure activities pursued by the Chinese urban population, meditation is not only one form of leisure activity, it is also an alternative medicine that may contribute to enhance the Chinese urban populations health. Furthermore, Chinese traditional culture may still influence urban peoples leisure preferences; modern urban Chinese people continue to seek mountains and water places for their leisure.