Li Ching-Yuen or Li
Ching-Yun (died May 6, 1933) was a Chinese herbalist, martial artist and
tactical advisor, known for his supposed extreme longevity. He claimed to be
born in 1736, while disputed records suggest 1677. Both claimed lifespans of
197 and 256 years far exceed the longest confirmed lifespan of 122 years and
164 days of the French woman Jeanne Calment. His true date of birth was never
determined and his claims have been dismissed by gerontologists as a myth
(Wikipedia).
According to a 1930 New York Times article, Wu
Chung-chieh, a professor of the Chengdu University, discovered Imperial Chinese
government records from 1827 congratulating Li Ching-Yuen on his 150th
birthday, and further documents later congratulating him on his 200th birthday
in 1877. In 1928, a New York Times correspondent wrote that many of the old men
in Li’s neighborhood asserted that their grandfathers knew him when they were
boys, and that he at that time was a grown man.
Li Ching Yuen reportedly began his herbalist career at
the age of 10, where he gathered herbs in mountain ranges and learned of their
potency for longevity. For almost 40 years, he survived on a diet of herbs such
as lingzhi, goji berry, wild ginseng, he shoo wu and gotu kola and rice wine.
In 1749, at the age of 71, he joined the Chinese armies as teacher of martial
arts. Li was said to be a much-loved figure in his community, marrying 23 times
and fathering over 200 children.
Sounds unbelievable? Hold tight! According to one of Li’s
disciples, he had once encountered an even older 500-year-old man, who taught
him Qigong exercises and dietary recommendations that would help him extend his
lifespan to superhuman proportions.
Li was asked what his secret was to longevity. The
article "Tortoise-Pigeon-Dog", from the May 15, 1933 issue of Time
reports on his history, and includes Li's answer to the secret of a long life:
ü
Keep a quiet heart
ü
Sit like a tortoise
ü
Walk sprightly like a pigeon
ü
Sleep like a dog
An article in the Evening Independent claims that Li's
supposed longevity is due to, in his first century of life, by way of his
experimentation with medicinal herbs in his capacity as a druggist, his
discovery in the Yunnan mountains of herbs which "prevent the ravages of
old age" and which he continued to use throughout his life.
Also, one of his disciples, the Taijiquan Master Da Liu…
reports that his master said that his longevity “is due to the fact that I
performed the exercises every day – regularly, correctly, and with sincerity –
for 120 years.” Certainly his practice of qigong and exercises was a
contributor to his longevity.
Li maintained that inward calm and peace of mind combined
with breathing techniques were the secrets to incredible longevity. Obviously,
his diet would have played a large role. But it’s fascinating that the old
living person in recorded history attributes his long life to his state of
mind.
We suspect, it is unlikely anyone will ever know exactly
old Li Ching-Yuen was at the time of his death — he may have been remarkably
old, possibly even older than the longest confirmed human lifespan of 122 years.
However, it is highly improbable that he managed to exceed that milestone by as
much as 61% to 110%, as claimed in 20th century accounts of his passing.
Skeptics believe that any documentation or personal reminiscences supporting Li
Ching-Yuen's claims to extraordinary longevity, even if they were genuine, were
most likely attributable to his having assumed the identity of a much older
ancestor or someone else of similar name.
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