Why are symbols of "happiness" everywhere in China? Whether on TV, online, or in slogans on the streets and alleys, "happiness" is almost omnipresent. But after living there long-term, one will realize that many people's happiness actually remains more at an external state: society, family, stability, reunion, dignity, rather than a truly stable, relaxed internal feeling.

Because Chinese society has long not encouraged people to feel inwardly themselves, but instead emphasizes how people conform to a "correct life order." If a person gets married, has children, owns a house, has children, satisfies parents, and maintains stable relationships, they are defined as happy. Whether you truly feel relaxed, free, or peaceful is actually less important. So, for many people, happiness is essentially a "socially confirmed" happiness, rather than a "genuinely felt" happiness.
In the traditional society under China's system, it is itself a structure of high pressure and high survival anxiety. In this environment, the most important thing for people is not experiencing themselves, but first ensuring safety, relationships, and order. Therefore, "happiness" must be constantly displayed, emphasized, and confirmed because it is fundamentally a collective need for stability.