Du Pinhua
Encyclopedia
Du Pinhua was a Chinese
claimant to the world's oldest people
title. She lived in Leshan
. According to the Shanghai Great World Guinness Book of Records (unaffiliated with the similarly named Guinness World Records
in London), Pinhua was proclaimed the world's oldest person in 2002. The claim disappeared for almost four years before resurfacing in April 2006, when it was claimed that Du celebrated her 120th birthday. Her age had not been internationally recognized.
Guinness in London and the Gerontology Research Group
both said at the time that María Capovilla
of Ecuador
was the world's oldest living person. Capovilla was born on 14 September 1889, about 3½ years after Pinhua’s alleged birth date.
In spite of her age, she made sharp spiritual remarks and possesses remarkable auditive acuteness. She astonished one journalist more than once by giving him a vigorous handshake.
In connection with Du, her neighbor Zhou Shunde, 84 years old, noticed what follows: “Tantine Du was already forty years old when I was still very small. What I then knew of her was that she was a follower of Buddhism, that she followed a mode of vegetarianism, that she was amicable, that she was never annoyed, and that she was smiling all the time .”
Du died at 1:00 AM on 11 December 2006, after suffering a fall. She died on the same day as Elizabeth Bolden
, who was the oldest fully verified person at the time.
".
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
claimant to the world's oldest people
Oldest people
This is a list of tables of the verified oldest people in the world in ordinal rank, such as oldest person or oldest man. In these tables, a supercentenarian is considered 'verified' if his or her claim has been validated by an international body that specifically deals in longevity research, such...
title. She lived in Leshan
Leshan
-Administrative divisions:-Transport:There is a passenger rail line that serves the Mianyang–Chengdu–Leshan inter-city area.The Chengdu-Leshan Highway with a total length of 160 kilometers, was finished on January 14th, 2000...
. According to the Shanghai Great World Guinness Book of Records (unaffiliated with the similarly named Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records
Guinness World Records, known until 2000 as The Guinness Book of Records , is a reference book published annually, containing a collection of world records, both human achievements and the extremes of the natural world...
in London), Pinhua was proclaimed the world's oldest person in 2002. The claim disappeared for almost four years before resurfacing in April 2006, when it was claimed that Du celebrated her 120th birthday. Her age had not been internationally recognized.
Guinness in London and the Gerontology Research Group
Gerontology Research Group
The Gerontology Research Group was started in 1990, and is a global eGroup of researchers in gerontology, some of who also meet monthly at UCLA in Los Angeles, California. The primary function of the group is to further gerontology research, with the objective of reversing or retarding aging...
both said at the time that María Capovilla
María Capovilla
María Esther Heredia de Capovilla was an Ecuadorian supercentenarian, and, at the time of her death at age 116 years 347 days, was recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest living person. She was the last remaining person born in the 1880s...
of Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
was the world's oldest living person. Capovilla was born on 14 September 1889, about 3½ years after Pinhua’s alleged birth date.
Lifestyle
Du lived in a mountainous area of the Huishan village, in the district of Wutongqiao depend on the town of Leshan, area which is characterized by its picturesque landscapes and its fresh air in southwest China's Sichuan Province. The China Daily report said that she celebrated her birthday with dozens of relatives and locals. Unfortunately, Du had never been interviewed in any depth and other than her age. When she turned 116, she credited her longevity to not eating meat until she was 110 and to never arguing with others. Having lost her parents during childhood, Du Pinhua was reduced to the begging then adopted by the monks of a local Buddhist temple. She adored fresh fruits and vegetables, but never touched tobacco or alcohol.In spite of her age, she made sharp spiritual remarks and possesses remarkable auditive acuteness. She astonished one journalist more than once by giving him a vigorous handshake.
In connection with Du, her neighbor Zhou Shunde, 84 years old, noticed what follows: “Tantine Du was already forty years old when I was still very small. What I then knew of her was that she was a follower of Buddhism, that she followed a mode of vegetarianism, that she was amicable, that she was never annoyed, and that she was smiling all the time .”
Du died at 1:00 AM on 11 December 2006, after suffering a fall. She died on the same day as Elizabeth Bolden
Elizabeth Bolden
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bolden was an American supercentenarian woman who, at the time of her death at age 116 years and 118 days, was recognized by Guinness World Records as the then world's oldest living person. She was the last remaining documented person born in 1890. Bolden was the seventh...
, who was the oldest fully verified person at the time.
Oldest person title
Official Chinese sources say that before Du Pinhua “the oldest man of the world” was an American aged 115, and then a 114-year-old Japanese woman. After "confirmation", Du Pinhua was the world's "champion of longevityLongevity
The word "longevity" is sometimes used as a synonym for "life expectancy" in demography or known as "long life", especially when it concerns someone or something lasting longer than expected ....
".
External links
- http://www.shanghaiist.com/archives/2006/04/28/a_big_gongxi_ou_1.php
- http://english.people.com.cn/200206/19/eng20020619_98108.shtml
- http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-04/26/content_577134.htm