While most people want to live a happy and long life, not many can achieve it. At a time when the average human life is around 70 to 80 years, the story of a Chinese man who lived for roughly 250 years is not only fascinating but also intriguing. Meet Li Ching-yun-- a Chinese herbalist, martial artist, and tactical advisor-- who is believed by many to be the oldest person to have ever lived. Li claimed to be born in 1736, which would have made him 197 years old at the time of his death in 1933, as per reports. However, even more astonishing records suggest he may have been born in 1677, pushing his age to a remarkable 256 years!
But what did Li Ching-yun do differently from other people that helped him live for over 250 years? Read on to know about his remarkable life as the world's longest living Chinese man and his 5 secrets to longevity here:
The world's longest living Chinese man's 5 secrets to longevityAccording to a New York Times report, a Chinese dispatch said that Li credited his incredible longevity to something surprisingly simple: Peace of mind. He often said that anyone could live past 100 if they mastered inner calm.
It is well known that stress can seriously harm our health by disrupting the body’s natural balance. When we’re constantly stressed, the body releases high levels of cortisol, a hormone that can weaken the immune system, increase blood pressure, and contribute to heart disease over time. Stress also affects digestion, sleep, and mental clarity, leading to fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Long-term stress can even speed up ageing and raise the risk of chronic illnesses, making it essential to manage stress for overall well-being. And so, keeping stress at bay and living a peaceful life can play a powerful role in promoting a long and healthy life. Inner calm allows for better sleep, clearer thinking, and healthier relationships— all essential for overall well-being. This can be done by practising meditation, being mindful and expressing gratitude in life-- these can help one stay calm in chaos and handle life’s challenges better.
Coming back to Li's other secrets to longevity, the report further shared that his long life was also credited to certain herbs which he consumed all his life. By the age of 10, Li had already explored distant regions like Tibet, Annam, and Siam, gathering medicinal plants which he used to sell as a Chinese herbalist. He sold traditional Chinese herbs like lingzhi, goji berries, wild ginseng, and gotu kola. He didn’t just sell them—he lived on a simple diet that included these herbs and rice wine, which many believe contributed to his long life and good health, as per Wikipedia.
During his lifetime, when Li became famous for his long life, warlord Wu Pei-fu once invited Li Ching-yun to live with him, hoping to uncover the secret behind his remarkable longevity. According to one of Li’s students, his advice for a long life was simple but poetic: “Keep a quiet heart, sit like a tortoise, walk briskly like a pigeon, and sleep like a dog.” These words reflected Li’s belief in calmness, gentle movement, and deep rest as keys to living a long and healthy life, as per reports.
All about Li Ching-yun's personal lifeLegends about Li’s age weren’t just self-proclaimed. In the 1930s, a Chinese professor also discovered imperial records celebrating Li’s 150th and 200th birthdays, which are proof of his incredibly long life. As for Li's personal life, by 1933 (the year Li died), it is said that he had 180 living descendants across 11 generations, and stories of him marrying 14 to 23 times only added to the mystery.
Though sceptics questioned the records, many who met Li in his final years were stunned by his youthful appearance— describing him as someone who looked like he was two centuries younger.
True or not, Li Ching-yun remains a fascinating symbol of health, simplicity, and the power of calm living.