China's Leisure Education: problem, analysis, and solutions—a case study of college students in Hangzhou

Abstract

Leisure education has already become an important concept of the modern education system in the Western world, but it is little established and practiced in China as it has been ignored or overlooked. Therefore, this study, in view of the growing importance of leisure life and leisure education for Chinese college students today, was undertaken in order to examine their current situation with regards to leisure life and leisure education. The study presents the results of a survey on leisure education and activities involving students from universities and colleges in Hangzhou, P.R. China, which shows that due to a lack of leisure skills and capabilities as well as an inadequate understanding of the meaning of leisure, the quality and level of students' leisure life on campus is unsatisfactory. This empirically-based study is trying to probe into the problems relating to leisure education in China and provide some perspectives, analysis and solutions based on the findings of the study. Since few researchers have observed leisure activity and leisure education in China, the study is a contribution to the literature on contemporary Chinese leisure education.