Based on the Chinese General Social Survey database (2013-2017), this paper investigates the relationship between leisure activity engagement and happiness in China when the standard correlates of happiness are held as controls. Fixed effect models indicate that leisure activity engagement is positively related to respondents’ happiness, and respondents who are female, married, better educated, higher in personal annual income, owned more houses report higher level of happiness. We further investigate the relationship between engaging in 12 types of leisure activities and happiness. Except watching sports, the more frequently respondents watch TV/DVDs, going out for movies, shopping, reading books/newspapers/magazines, attending culture events, meeting relatives who don’t live together, meeting friends, listening to music at home, participating in exercises, making handicrafts and surfing online, the higher level of happiness that respondents report. Overall, this study provides empirical finding to verify the contribution of leisure activity engagement to Chinese people’s happiness, which has implications to making China’s leisure-related policy and industry practices.
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