Reasons Behind Unhappy Faces

Each time when I’m alone on my way to office， way back home， or going shopping， I’d love to read people’s faces. I’m happy to find different expressions on each face， and try to make up a story for myself to explain why. Sometimes， the story in my head will make me smile or frown. But generally， I prefer to weave a cheerful story instead of an upset one. It’s a habit lasting for many years. I often keep a light smile when watching others. However， for those years， few people noticed that I was watching them.I conclude from years of observation that， in general， when people are alone， there are more faces in miserable expression， or no expression at all (but if there is no expression at all， people are more likely to have a sad mouth because of gravitational force) from Chinese. For foreign faces in China? They are most likely to have a confused expression. China is too complicated for them to understand.I often wonder why Chinese faces are unhappy when they are alone. In fact， when there are two or more Chinese together， their faces are more cheerful and face expressions change more frequently. Here are my thoughts on the reason:#1. There is nothing for them to think about when stay alone: an empty head reflects no expression on face， and the gravitational force from the earth will pull the corners of the mouth down. That is also a sign of getting old. And a pulling-down mouth is a sad face. Children are more easily to be seemed as happy， and just a short time of gravitational force on them is one of the reasons.#2. China has too many people， so average resource and private room for each person is very limited. When people are in a crowded group， they often feel uncomfortable and un- safe， easily to be offended by strangers who are forced to be too close to them. Look at the subway or buses every peak time in big cities. How many smiling faces can you count? The unhappy expression is the exact reflection of the body feeling， and also a warning to others around: “Hey， guys! Don’t get closer! I’m already unhappy now!”#3. Basically， Chinese life is hard. Most people here have to fight for a living or a better living. Too many unhappy and unsatisfied things happen every day in people’s life. When they are in the social society， talking to others， they have to force themselves or want to respond properly to what others are doing or saying. That’s a way to show your politeness and also at least you are not so boring. However， when they are alone， it’s time to think about their own life， which unfortunately is not so optimistic. The true feeling will be expressed to face without masquerade.Confucius said ， “人無遠慮，必有近憂” (rén wú yuǎn lǜ， bì yǒu jìn yōu)， which could be explained in both ways as follows.1) He who does not think of the future is certain to have immediate worries.2) A person is subject to either long-term concerns or short-term troubles.Confucius’s wisdom is the original of Chinese thinking and behaviour rules. He predicted more than two thousand years ago that the Chinese nation is always in worry. Brilliant!And， I was often asked by others， “Why are you so happy?” I replied， “Why not?”Yes， I’m alive; I’m relatively healthy; I can look after myself; I have someone to love and be loved; I’m financially independent; I have best dreams to fulfil... The reason to be happy can’t be that complicated， right?