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Amazing 256 Year Old Man - Was he really that old?

According to the 1933 obituaries in both Time Magazine and the New York Times, Li Ching-Yun was reported to have buried 23 wives and fostered 180 descendants by the time he died at the age of 256. Was he really that old? Could he have forgotten his own birthday or exaggerated his claim?

256 Year Old Man

Li Ching-YunThe Secrets to an Interminable Life - "Keep a quiet heart, sit like a tortoise, walk sprightly like a pigeon and sleep like a dog." These were the words of advice Li gave to Wu Pei-fu, the warlord, who took Li into his house to learn the secret of extremely long life. Li maintained that inward calm and peace of mind were the secrets to incredible longevity. His diet, after all, was mainly based on rice and wine.

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Unsurprisingly, not much is known about Li Ching-Yun’s early life. We know he was born in the province of Szechwan in China, where he also died. We also know that by his tenth birthday, Ching-Yun was literate and had travelled to Kansu, Shansi, Tibet, Annam, Siam and Manchuria gathering herbs. After that, it gets a bit fuzzy. Apparently, for over one hundred years, Li continued selling his own herbs and then subsequently sold herbs collected by others. He also (according to Time) had six-inch-long fingernails on his right hand.

You might be thinking that he looked decrepit, shriveled, leather-like and creepy, however, sources at the time were astonished at his youthfulness. Was this suspect? Was Li Ching-Yun as old as he claimed he was or was his birthday a clerical error or exaggeration? Let’s take a brief look at both sides

The Nine Lives of Li Ching-Yun

By his own admission, he was born in 1736 and had lived 197 years. However, in 1930 a professor and dean at Minkuo University by the name of Wu Chung-Chien, found records "proving" that Li was born in 1677. Records allegedly showed that the Imperial Chinese Government congratulated him on his 150th and 200th Birthdays.

So the question is, had he forgotten his own birthday? Was this even the same Li Ching-Yun?

Looking at all of this from a medical and documented perspective: Jeanne Louise Calment, a French woman who died in 1997 so far holds the title for the person who has roamed the earth the longest: 122 years, which is a phenomenal length of time.

That means, that if the records discovered by Wu Chung-Chien were accurate, Li Ching-Yun’s age would surpass the official record by more than 130 years. Is this even medically possible?

The detail, which seems to prove both arguments and debunk them at the same time, is Li’s youthful appearance, noted in a 1928 article from the New York Times. Visually and physically, he appeared to look like a typical 60-year-old. Does this, therefore, signify a superhuman body capable of lasting one-quarter of a millennium, or is the story of Li Ching-Yun based on a series of half-truths, lies or exaggerations? Unfortunately, we may never know. You may draw your own logical conclusions.

  1. I don’t think its possible. 256 years!!

  2. Our brain can do wonders. It is true that Li Ching had lived for 256 years. Here are the reasons: 1) A boy in Nepal had lived without food and the most important without water for about 7 months. Medical science tells us that without water a human being cannot live more than 7 days. 2) We only believe the facts which are given by medical science till current time which is based on previous historical background and technology which is used to study on humans. 3) Medical science had achieved the tremendous heights but not understood 100% about human brain. 4) We humans do not have the capacity to control our brain, understand everything related to our brain, to control our brain consciously and subconsciously beyond the certain limit, exceptional has only some of these abilities like "Li Ching". 5) There is no miracle to live even 1000 years; the only thing is that we should possess the qualities which are required to live 1000 years.

  3. Yes in india we call them as sadhu or tapasvi. They live in mountains but not seen by ordinary people.

  4. Anything is possible with quite and stable mind. This 256 year old man is just an example.

  5. Really Incredible News! I am very surprised at this news.

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