A woman in China recently celebrated her 124th birthday and shared the secrets to her long life. According to Chinese media, the woman, named Qiu Chiaxi, was born on January 1, 1901.
Hailing from Nanchong in Sichuan province, she marked her 124th birthday at the start of 2025, attracting the attention of millions. Her granddaughter is now 60 years old, while the youngest member of her family is just 8 months old.
However, her age has not been officially verified by institutions outside of China, which is why her name is not recorded in the Guinness World Records. Still, her birthdate is registered in China’s household registration system, hukou.
Qiu Chiaxi shared the secrets to her longevity with the media during her birthday celebration, emphasizing a simple, routine-based lifestyle. She eats three meals a day at set times, takes a walk after each meal, and goes to bed by 8 PM. She still does many tasks herself, such as grooming her hair, lighting the stove, feeding her pet ducks, and climbing stairs.
Her early years were difficult. She revealed that during the Qing Dynasty, many people died from hunger, but she managed to survive. Before her marriage, she often did hard farm work, and after her husband passed away unexpectedly at the age of 40, she raised their four children alone. Despite financial struggles, she worked tirelessly to meet her children’s needs.
When she turned 70, she faced a major sorrow when her eldest son passed away after falling ill, and her daughter-in-law remarried, leaving her granddaughter with Qiu Chiaxi. She then raised her granddaughter on her own. Years later, her granddaughter’s husband also fell ill and passed away unexpectedly.
Now, Qiu Chiaxi lives in a three-story house in Nanchong with her granddaughter. When she turned 100, her eyesight and hearing began to decline, but her mind remained sharp.
Interestingly, Nanchong is the region in China where 960 people are known to be over 100 years old.
