Dan Buettner, the author of Thrive: Finding Happiness the Blue Zone Way, set out to find the happiest places on earth, and he thinks he’s discovered four contenders on four different continents. What makes residents in these places so glad to be living the lives they do? Here’s a hint: It has nothing to do with their material wealth, intelligence, or attractiveness. Instead, Buettner found that members of these communities, which span the globe from Denmark to Mexico, give priority to social networks and health and well-being above all—and they make choices that reflect those values. So if you’re looking for a cheery destination for your next vacation, consider these four spots—and get ready to take notes on how to really live the good life:

《兴旺:以蓝宝地的方式寻找快乐》的作者丹·比特纳,出发去寻找地球上最幸福的地方，他认为他在四大洲发现了四个城市。是什么使得这些地方的市民开心的过着自己的生活呢？答案是：这和物质财富、智力和魅力都没有关系。相反，比特纳发现，从丹麦到墨西哥这些地方的人们，都重视社交生活、健康，当然最重视幸福感---并且他们做出的选择反映了他们的价值观。因此，如果你正在寻找下一次度假的目的地，考虑一下这四个地方---准备好，记下如何才能过上幸福的日子。

Singapore
新加坡

With one of the highest population densities in the world and denizens known for being workaholics, it’s hard to imagine the city-state of Singapore having one of the happiest populations on earth. And yet in a recent survey, 95% of them said they were either very happy or quite happy. They give their city high marks for cleanliness and safety—subways are pristine and unfailingly arrive on time, and police are seen as helpful and good at their jobs. What’s more, they feel they can count on their neighbors—all 5.1 million of them. As Ahmad Nizan Abbas, a lawyer from Singapore, explained, “We used to live in fishing villages where we pulled together to help each other…. If something happens to a Malay household, the whole Malay community will be there to lend support.”

新加坡是世界上人口密度最高的国家之一，并且那里的居民以工作狂而知名，但却很难想象这个国家首都的人民是地球上最幸福的人之一。最近的一项调查中95%的市民称他们要么非常幸福要么就相当幸福。他们高度评价城市的整洁和安全---地铁仍是早期建成的那样，并且永远按时到达，警察的工作是有益并且优秀的。而且，他们认为他们可以信赖他们的邻居---所有5100000市民。正如来自新加坡的一名律师艾哈迈德·尼瓒·阿巴斯解释道，“我们过去住在小渔村，我们在那里团结，相互帮助……如果某个马来家庭发生什么事，整个马来社区都会给予帮助。”

Århus, Denmark
奥尔胡斯，丹麦

The residents of Århus cheerfully part with 68% of their income in taxes, knowing that in return they will be guaranteed free healthcare, free daycare, and a topnotch education for their children. A robust city of 300,000 with a vibrant cultural scene and a diverse number of religions represented, the sense of community and equality (the range in incomes is narrow), as well as easy access to the nearby sea and surrounding countryside, make Århus seem more like a small town. “We believe that a rich person is not necessarily the one with a lot of money,” Jørgen Carlsen, an Århus school headmaster told Buettner. “It’s the one who really has a lot to be grateful for: nature, the company of other people, the ability to enjoy a good book.”

奥尔胡斯的市民很乐意的把收入的68%都要作为给人所得税上缴，因为他们知道作为回报他们可以享受免费的医疗、免费的日托服务以及孩子会享受到一流的教育。这样一个充满活力的城市，拥有300000人口，生气蓬勃的文化氛围，各种各样的宗教信仰，人们可以共同享受，感到平等（城市的收入差距的很小），并且很容易就能到达附近的大海和周围的乡村，这些都使得奥尔胡斯看上去更小个小镇。“我们相信富人并不一定就是有很多钱的人，”奥尔胡斯的一个校长卡尔森告诉比纳特说，“富人应该是真正有许多感谢的，他们感谢自然，其他人的陪伴，并且感谢可以有能力欣赏一本好书。”

San Luis Obispo, CA
圣路易斯-奥比斯波 加利福利亚洲

According to a 2008 Gallup-Healthways study, people who live in San Luis Obispo are more likely than residents of other U.S. cities to smile and experience joy and are less likely to experience pain or depression. Some 64,000 of the 260,000 people in the greater metropolitan area, located halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, volunteer at over 11,000 non-profit organizations. Few commutes are longer than 10 minutes (one reason its members rank in the upper third for job satisfaction), so “it’s easy to be involved,” resident Pierre Rademaker told Buettner. Business signs are unobtrusive by law, fewer than 11% of residents smoke—the lowest rate in the U.S.—there are lots of bike lanes, and the city’s plaza draws throngs of people for free concerts on summer Fridays. What’s not to love?

据2008年盖洛普-健康方式的一项调查，住在圣路易斯-奥比斯波的人们比美国其他城市的居民更会笑，更会享受快乐，而不太可能经历痛苦和绝望。这座比较大型的大都市，位于洛杉矶和旧金山中间， 260000市民中有大约64000名是11000多个非盈利行组织中的自愿者。通勤的时间没有长于十分钟的（一个原因是他的成员对于工作的满意度是位于前三），因此“很容易专心工作，”市民皮埃尔拉德梅克告诉比纳特。法律禁止招摇过市的商业招牌，不足11%的市民抽烟---这是全美国吸烟率最低的城市---那里有许多自行车道，夏天周五的时候城市的广场总是能吸引成群的人们在那开音乐会。还有什么不喜欢的呢？

Monterrey, Mexico
蒙特里 墨西哥undefined

Unlike San Luis Obispans, the people of Monterrey don’t enjoy high household incomes or access to good healthcare. Instead, there’s a profound sense of gratitude for the new political freedom enjoyed since the oppressive Institutional Revolutionary Party lost power in 2000—the first time in nearly a century—as well as an emphasis on social life over work. “The American system is good for productivity, but not for the soul,” Miguel Basanez, a political scientist who lives in Monterrey told Buettner. Another reason Monterrey residents may be so happy is their faith in God and family, and their ability to tough it out through bad times. “We laugh at sickness, poverty and even death,” says Basanez. “We even have a holiday to celebrate death. November 2, the Day of the Dead, is one of the biggest holidays of the year.”

与圣路易斯-奥比斯波不同，蒙特里的市民没有很高的家庭收入，也不能享受良好的医疗照顾。但是，自2000年暴虐的革命制度党失去政权时，人们内心深处感到应该感谢享受到的新的政治自由---这几乎是一个世纪以来的第一次---同时，相对于工作人们更重视社会生活。“美国的制度对于生产力是有利的，但却不利于人”住在蒙特里的一位政治科学家米格尔巴萨内斯告诉比纳特，蒙特里居民也许很幸福的另一个原因是他们相信上帝，相信家庭，相信他们能够度过艰难的日子。“我们笑对疾病、贫穷和死亡。”巴萨内斯说，“我们甚至有个节日来庆祝死亡。十月二日，就是死亡日，也是一年中最重大的节日之一。”