As the saying goes, money can't buy happiness. This rings true for many Chinese billionaires, who acknowledge that while wealth brings them "respect" and a "sense of achievement," it also ushers in "trouble" and a "sense of insecurity."

A recent questionnaire targeting 60 Chinese billionaires, whose average wealth stands at more than 2.2 billion yuan (US$275.25 million), found that most of them have a feeling of uncertainty despite their vast wealth.

The survey, conducted by Guangzhou-based newspaper Southern Weekend, covered such issues as wealth, career, marriage and sex, life and religion. Sixty copies of the questionnaire were sent out but the paper only received 33 valid responses.

According to the survey, career is more important to Chinese billionaires than marriage. When asked to choose between career and marriage, 21 of the 33 billionaires preferred career to family, while only 12 went for marriage.

As to what makes them feel happiest, 11 of the interviewees said health brings them happiness, and nine chose success in their career. Six of them said a happy marriage makes them happy.

Sixteen of the respondents described extramarital affairs as "irrational" and 10 of them said they didn't have any interest in such affairs. Only six believed extramarital affairs were "reasonable."

Bao Yujun, president of the All-China Society of Private Economic Research, said the survey showed that most Chinese billionaires are "mentally healthy", but they also have psychological problems.

Despite their wealth, these rich people carry a feeling of uncertainty in their hearts and feel that they are not masters of their own fate, he said.

(Xinhua News Agency July 22, 2006)