Centenarian couple: a new Guinness record
She, W.
China Population Today 15(4): 20
1998
PMID: 12294256 Document Number: 278192
Li Guanghai, born in 1897 (101 years of age), and Wang Fangzhen, born in 1896 (102 years of age), were married in 1916; they are recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the oldest couple with the longest marital life in the world. They live in the rural area outside of Bijie City in Guizhou Province, China. The area is surrounded by mountains, and fresh air and clean water are available all through the year. Five other centenarians live in the area; in the village, which consists of 300 households, there are 80 persons over 70 years of age and 130 over 60. Li Guanghai and Wang Fangzhen have a simple, active, regular life. They rise at 7 a.m. and go to bed at 9 p.m.; they take a 2- or 3-hour nap in the afternoon. The husband is a light smoker of tobacco that he grows himself. The wife drinks a little homemade wine at bedtime. They both drink strong tea. They have had no serious disease since the age of 40. They worked in the fields until the age of 85; they still walk to Bijie City. According to their eldest son, Li Meng, their relationship is one of deep attachment and respect; they never argue over trifles, and they live in harmony with their neighbors. Theirs is the largest family in the world. They have 4 sons and 3 daughters. All of their children and their children's spouses are still alive except for the eldest daughter and her husband. There are 38 subfamilies with 142 members living in the 5-generation family. Family descendants are scattered over 26 cities in China, and are involved in nearly all professions and trades. Although Li Guanghai and Wang Fangzhen could barely read and write, they made sure their children and the children of other villagers were educated. They even funded and managed a private school at one time. 41 members of their family have received university, college, and secondary technical education; 48 are receiving junior high schooling. 17 are intellectuals achieving senior and secondary titles for technical personnel. The illiteracy rate in the village is 5% among residents over the age of 14; more than 50 university and college students have been raised in the village.