A bird's-eye view of a park in Taicang, Jiangsu province.

Taicang, which is under the jurisdiction of Suzhou in East China's Jiangsu province, was named the happiest county-level city at the 2022 Happy Cities of China Forum held in December.

The city has made the list 11 times since its inception 16 years ago and has topped the rankings seven times. This is the outcome of the city's efforts to provide better social services, improve the natural environment and develop cultural industries, which are all aimed at a common goal — to ensure the happiness of residents.

The city sees quality and inclusive social services as a guarantee of happiness. For example, there is a coffee house chain named "silent cafe" in Taicang, where the staff members communicate in sign language. The chain is run by two sisters with hearing impairments.

The sisters started the business with the support of the local disabled persons' federation. The cafe chain aims to provide a platform for people with disabilities to become more self-reliant. As of December, it had helped more than 30 individuals with disabilities find employment across its three branches in Taicang.

To provide better care for the elderly, Taicang has established a comprehensive system of elderly care, which consists of 210 day-care centers, 169 meal-assistance stations and 11 nursing facilities.

It has also introduced a system to provide free home care services for elderly residents who face special difficulties, such as those who are over 80 years old or live alone. These senior residents can enjoy free home care services for up to 48 hours a month.

Taicang allocates approximately 80 percent of its fiscal revenue to public welfare projects annually and sets aside around 140 million yuan ($20.3 million) for social assistance programs.

Moreover, the city has become one of the first county-level cities in China to achieve balanced development in compulsory education.

Taicang is dedicated to developing and preserving green spaces and ecosystems to help create a harmonious relationship between people and nature, which is seen as another factor in enhancing public happiness.

Taicang is striving to create a balance of city and nature, which is exemplified in a newly built pocket park by Yanshan Road. Although not immediately eye-catching, the park has become a precious space for nearby residents to enjoy some serenity amid the hustle and bustle of city life, according to official data.

Instead of simply adding "patches of green" to the city, Taicang has taken a systematic approach to urban planning by ensuring that parks, corridors, green spaces and water systems are linked and complement one another.

For instance, the city's slow traffic system is connected by greenways, forming a multilevel green belt.

A variety of cultural activities have been staged in Taicang, including a performance season themed around traditional stringed and woodwind instruments, and a culture and food festival. Taicang believes that happiness is not only about material wealth, but cultural richness.

As one of the regions in China with the most intensive German investment, Taicang has seen growing popularity in German culture.

The city's Rothenburg German Street, named after the well-known medieval town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber in Germany, is scheduled to become fully operational at the end of March.

With a total construction area of over 30,000 square meters, the waterfront commercial district features a German car-themed restaurant, a Beethoven-themed coffee shop and a flagship merchandise store of Bayern Munich football club.

The commercial district is now planning a German culture carnival, which will provide the residents of Taicang an opportunity to learn more about German culture on their doorstep.