“Le”: The Chinese Subject Well-Being and the View of Happiness in China Tradition Culture

Abstract

Subject Well-Being is an experience which involves evaluation by individuals of their quality of life according to the standard they set for themselves. Subject Well-Being includes feelings of happiness, peace of mind, sense of achievement and satisfaction with life. Chinese make place great emphasis on harmonious interpersonal relationship in their Subject Well-Being. Spirituality is also highly valued. These characteristics of Subject Well-Being have been influenced largely by the culture’s traditional view of happiness. Traditionally in Chinese culture, well-being is expressed using the word (happiness), Le is a psychological experience which is based on empirical and inner experience and feeling. The Multi-cultural nature of ancient Chinese society has helped to form the characteristics associated with the Chinese’ view of happiness. Confucian, Dao and Buddhism all have their own basic view on happiness: Confucian separated happiness onto two levels: one level where happiness is derived from the satisfaction of basic needs in real life, and the second where rational happiness comes from being kind to others and contributing to society at large (feeling of social value). Dao’s view of happiness required people to look beyond reality for happiness and suggested that happiness could be acquired from San appreciation of the beauty of nature and life. The Dao view also suggested that happiness and unhappiness were related and dependent on each other and that people should not rely on the material world for happiness. The Buddhist view was that everything in life was empty for humans apart from entering nirvana and that helping other people to get into nirvana would help them to achieve Subject Well-Being. Traditional Chinese culture also encouraged people to pursue the ‘ideal personality’. It was believed that in the process of pursuing, and upon attainment of the ideal personality, people would be in possession of the kind of happiness and Subject Well-Being that is achieved through kindness and contribution to society: having intelligence as water, morality as mountains and appreciating and enjoying the beauty of nature (mountain, river and sea). It was thought that when people truly developed the ability to appreciate the wonders of nature and life, the process of this appreciation would become a kind of happiness in itself. In summary, each school developed their unique opinions about happiness and Subject Well-Being. At the same time, these theories were integrated in the Chinese approach to the pursuit of happiness and Subject Well-Being. Ultimately, the Chinese formed a unique view of happiness and found ways of achieving happiness and Subject Well-Being other than the normal approach, which is similar to that of western culture. In conclusion, the view of Subject Well-Being in traditional Chinese culture is unique in three characteristics: first, personal emotion is not the key point in Subject Well-Being but rather interpersonal relationships and the feelings of social value; second, Subject Well-Being of the individual is not a single feeling and is always connected to moral sense and a sense of beauty; third, Chinese traditional culture encourages people to pursue rational happiness, which transcends happiness and Subject Well-Being in reality.