China’s Oldest Woman Turns 124 with a Positive Outlook and Pumpkin Lard Porridge

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According to local city records, a Chinese woman recently celebrated her 124th birthday.

Her big day was celebrated on January 1st at her hometown of Nanchong city, surrounded by a throng of family members. She attributes her longevity to a “love of lard” and an optimistic disposition.

Qiu Chaishi can describe her early years spent during the Qing Dynasty, the final royal dynasty in Chinese history, which lasted from 1644 to 1911, regardless of whether she was born in 1901 or not.

Even though she lost some of her vision after turning 100, her family claims she is still intelligent and funny. Living with her 60-year-old granddaughter Taohua, Chaishi presently enjoys the company of family members who are five generations apart.

She was well-known in her younger years for her keen accounting abilities and her physical prowess, which enabled her to operate the plough and stack stones. She is able to cook, light fires, feed geese, and climb and descend stairs despite being a “dodecagenarian.”

Her family members tell the South China Morning Post that Chaishi has always followed a strict schedule, which includes eating three meals a day, taking a walk after each meal, and going to bed at eight o’clock.

Although she has reportedly reduced her intake of fat due to medical advice, her favourite meal is pumpkin porridge with a spoonful of lard on top.

She had four children by the time she was forty, but she was left to raise them by herself after her husband passed away unexpectedly. After her daughter wedded and her son passed away from illness at the age of 70, Chaishi reared her grandchild on her alone. The couple left the company of men to live together in a rural home in Nanchong, Sichuan Province, after her granddaughter’s husband passed away as well.

“My kid, spouse, and siblings all died a long time ago. I guess the King of Hell forgot about me! Chaishi made a joke.

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“After every setback, she remains silent for a while before bouncing back with positivity and laughter,” Taohua said.

Chaishi’s story inspired and moved people when it was published on the news arm of the huge Chinese corporation Tencent on the occasion of her 124th birthday.

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She has seen more than a century of China’s amazing history. “What an incredible life journey!” exclaimed one.

For the first time in its history, the average life expectancy in China increased by more than 78 years. Nanchong in the subtropical south has more centenarians than any other Chinese province, according to national statistics cited by SCMP.