Li Ching-Yuan, a 257 year old man revealed his secrets of long life to New York Times in 1923

1. LONGEVITY SECRETS:
REVEALED BY
LI CHING-YUAN
A 256 YEAR OLD MAN
By
Kevin KF Ng, MD, PhD
Former Associate Professor of Medicine
Division of Clinical Pharmacology
University of Miami, Miami, FL.,USA
Email: kevinng68@gmail.com
A Slide Presentation for HealthCare Provider Dec. 2020

2. Lecture Outline
▪ Life expectancy from birth to death in USA
2020.
▪ Oldest people who had lived in the world.
▪ Li-Ching-Yuan, a man who lived for 256 years.
▪ New York Times interviewed Li in 1928 for his
advice on longevity.
▪ Modern tests are used to test the effects of
herbs on telomeres.

3. Life expectancy (from birth) in the United States,
from 1860 to 2020*
78.81
(2020)
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1040079/life-expectancy-united-states-all-time/

4. Oldest people (117 years – 122 years) in the world
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldest_people

5. Jeanne Calment died at the age of 122 years and 164 days in 1997,
setting a record as the world's most long-lived person that is still unsurpassed.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/worlds-longest-living-person-jeanne-calment-fraud-russian-researcher-guinness-
record/#:~:text=Jeanne%20Calment%20died%20at%20the,must%20have%20forgotten%20about%20her.

6. Li Ching-Yuan is said to have lived 250 years.
https://samim.io/p/2019-12-28-li-ching-yuen-1677-or-1736-6-may-1933-was-a-chinese/

7. Who is Li Ching-Yuen, is he the world’s oldest man?
(1677-1933= 256 yrs) or (1736 – 1933=197 yrs)
▪ World’s oldest man
▪ Lived 256 years or 197 years
▪ Survived 23 wives
▪ Produced 200 children
▪ Herbalist
▪ Martial artist
▪ Tactical advisor

8. Li Ching-Yuen (李清雲) – Herbalist, Qigong Master who lived a very long life
1677 or 1736 – 6 May 1933 (256 or 197 years):
Interview by General Wu Pei-fu
https://samim.io/p/2019-12-28-li-ching-yuen-1677-or-1736-6-may-1933-was-a-chinese/
https://medium.com/lessons-from-history/the-fascinating-story-of-the-oldest-man-in-history-26d115dfa0de

9. Documentation of Li Ching-Yuen (李清雲) – The Immortal
(1677 or 1736 – 6 May 1933): 197 or 256 years
https://samim.io/p/2019-12-28-li-ching-yuen-1677-or-1736-6-may-1933-was-a-chinese/

10. Biography of Li Ching-Yuan (李清雲)
https://samim.io/p/2019-12-28-li-ching-yuen-1677-or-1736-6-may-1933-was-a-chinese/

11. New York Times 1928 article “ Tortoise-Pigeon-Dog” on
Li Ching Yuan’s secret of a long life
▪ Keep a quiet heart
▪ Sit like a tortoise
▪ Walk sprightly like a pigeon
▪ Sleep like a dog
https://samim.io/p/2019-12-28-li-ching-yuen-1677-or-1736-6-may-1933-was-a-chinese/
Secret of a long life:

12. Li Ching-Yuen (1677 or1736-1933), world’s oldest man:
Secret diet and herbs
Secret diet and herbs:
▪ Reishi mushroom
▪ Goji berries (wolfberry)
▪ Ginseng
▪ He Shou Wu (Fo-Ti)
▪ Gotu Kola (centella asiatica)

13. EFFECT OF TELOMERE ON LONGEVITY:
MODERN CONCEPT

14. Chromosomes within the nucleus
https://www.genome.gov/about-genomics/fact-sheets/Chromosomes-Fact-Sheet

15. Telomeres glow white at the ends of DNA
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/newsroom/news-releases/accurate-
telomere-length-test-influences-treatment-decisions-for-certain-diseases

16. Telomeres are protective caps on the end of chromosomes
https://www.news-medical.net/life-sciences/What-are-Telomeres.aspx

17. Effect of cell division on telomere shortening
https://theconversation.com/dna-testing-companies-offer-telomere-testing-but-what-does-it-tell-you-about-aging-and-disease-risk-118019

18. Effect of inactive or absent telomerase

19. MODERN CONCEPT OF AGING

20. Telomerase builds telomere DNA
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2009/illustrated-information/

21. Nobel Laureate Elizabeth Blackburn 2005 tells Vancouver TED
the secrets of aging
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/nobel-winner-elizabeth-
blackburn-tells-vancouver-ted-the-secrets-of-aging/article34840942/

22. Nobel winner Elizabeth Blackburn tells Vancouver TED the
secrets of aging
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/british-columbia/nobel-winner-elizabeth-
blackburn-tells-vancouver-ted-the-secrets-of-aging/article34840942/

23. Decline in telomere length by age in National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey (1999-2002)
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0221690
Male Female

24. Decline in telomere length by age in National Health and Nutrition
Examination Survey (1999-2002)
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0221690

25. Would Telomere Length Be A Good Biomarker For Aging?
https://www.chegg.com/homework-help/questions-and-answers/would-telomere-
length-good-biomarker-aging-use-graph-additional-information-provided-expla-
q14618783
% of survival

26. What is Li Ching-Yuen’s secret for longevity?
Secret diet and herbs:
▪ Reishi mushroom
▪ Goji berries (wolfberry)
▪ Ginseng
▪ He Shou Wu (Fo-ti)
▪ Gotu Kola (centella asiatica)

27. CAN THE HERBS USED BY LI CHING-
YUAN LENGTHEN THE TELOMERE?

28. Tests of telomere elongation by modern concept of aging

29. Telomerase test on elongation of telomere
HumanLaboratory animalCell line (Hela cells)

30. Effect of Centella asiatica (gotu kola), Nutrient 4 & TA-65 on
telomerase activity in Hela cells (2019)
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6755196/
Centella asiatica

31. Life span extension equivalent from
mice to human in anti-aging study of Reishi
Adapted from http://www.lifeextension.com/Magazine/2013/2/how-reishi-combats-aging/Page-01
human
mice
31

32. Telomere lengthening effects of herbs used by Li Ching-Yuan
Herb Test Lengthening effect
▪ Reishi mushroom mice Yes
▪ Goji berry (wolfberry) not done unknown
▪ Ginseng (Rg1) stem cell Yes
▪ He Shou Wu (Fo-Ti) not done unknown
▪ Gotu Kola (centella asiatica) Hela cells Yes

33. Conclusion
▪ Life expectancy (from birth) in the United States, from 1860 to 2020 is 78.81 years
▪ The persons who lived longest in the world range between 117 to 122 years.
▪ However, there is a man Li Ching-Yuan who is documented to have lived 256 years.
▪ Interviewed by New York Times in 1928, he claimed that he was a herbalist and
Qiqong practitioner and that his longevity was due to consumption of reishi
mushroom, goji berries, ginseng, he shou wu and gotu kola.
▪ Reishi mushroom, ginseng and gotu kola were found to lengthen the telomeres in
cell lines and laboratory animals
▪ Long term randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm the preclinical
findings and the benefits in man.