Li Ching-Yuen, or Li Ching Yun, was a Chinese herbalist that, according to one account, lived up to 256 years old. He claimed to be born in the year 1736, which would have made him 197. If either of these were true, he would have exceeded the longest confirmed lifespans by a landslide. To compare, the oldest man in the world was Jiroemon Kimura at 116 years old and the oldest woman was Jeanne Calment at 122 years old. Expert fact checkers, however, like those of Snopes, and gerontologists, professionals who work in the field of aging, could not determine his exact age. Although we know his date of death, May 6, 1933, his birthdate is unknown. Despite accounts written by people who claimed to have seen him and local records, recent investigations reveal that his extreme age was probably legend. Some say that her probably assumed the identity of an older ancestor. Some people, locals for example, believe his longevity to be genuine. Either way, one glance at this man will tell you that he did in fact reach a considerably old age, and he left behind some secrets to help you along your own aging journey. Check them out below.Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment lived up to the age of 122. Anyone who lives past their 110th birthday is considered a supercentarian. Although Calment took up fencing and rode her bicycle until her 100th birthday, she wasn’t particularly athletic.
This joyful man was Jiroemon Kimura. He was born in Kamiukawa, Japan, and according to one report, claimed that the secret to longevity was consuming small portions of food. He was also very active and an early riser. He passed away in 2013.
Chinese herbalist Li Ching-Yuen was mentioned in Time Magazine and in the New York Times for his longevity. One professor reported that he had found documents that proved he lived up to 256 years old. Li claimed that he was born in 1736, which would’ve made him 197 when he died in 1933.
Li was said to have had 23 wives and over 200 descendants. Other sources say that he had 14 wives.
He was also believed to have had a secret recipe for long life. Though we cannot determine whether or not these were true, we can reveal some of the tips that he’d left behind.
If you have access to a quiet place with plenty of nature, you can absorb the natural, positive energy of the environment. This will help you meditate, de-stress, and build a weightless attitude that will carry you through old age with grace.
Li traveled to Kansu, Shansi, Tibet, Vietnam, Thailand and Manchuria in order to collect herbs. Read about some of them below.
Reishi is known for boosting your immune system, which contributes to a longer, healthier life. It also helps prevents and eliminate certain types of cancer cells in the body.
These colorful berries are not only great for their color, but for their high vitamin C and fiber content. Check out some more benefits below!
There are many benefits to He Shou Wu. It is often used to treat hair loss and to improve scalp health, strengthen your liver and kidney, as a reproductive tonic, and detoxing, just to name a few.
You can use the leaves of Gotu Kola in tea to alleviate stress and anxiety, and to help boost your memory.
There are many types of ginseng available, but in general, they work well as energy boosters and as a natural way to reduce stress. Li lived a very natural life, free of artificial foods.
Rice wine generally has a higher level of alcohol content than other wines. One benefit of drinking rice wine is that it contains selenium, which is important for reproduction, DNA production, and protecting the body from infection.
This photo of Li Ching-Yuen was taken at the residence of National Revolutionary Army General Yang Sen in 1927. Earlier in his life, he joined the army as a tactical advisor and teacher of martial arts.
As aforementioned, Li lived in the mountains and practiced meditation, which is said to reduce natural aging of the brain. Time magazine also wrote an article on him in 1933 titled “Tortoise-Pigeon-Dog,” in which he shared 4 simple secrets to long life. Read through them and think about what they would mean in your own life.
