So let us start one now with this article from the New York Times:
The New York Times, Saturday, May 6, 1933
(copy of the actual article is available for purchase online)
LI CHING-YUN DEAD; GAVE HIS AGE AS 197
"Keep Quiet heart, Sit Like a Tortoise, Sleep Like a Dog," His advice for a Long Life.
Inquiry Put Age At 256.
Reported to have buried 23 wives and had 180 descendents – sold herbs for first 100 years.
Peiping, May 5 – Li Ching-Yun, a resident of Kaihsien, in the Province of Szechwan, who contended that he was one of the world's oldest men and said he was born in 1736 – which would make him 197 years old – died today.
A Chinese dispatch from Chungking telling of Mr. Li's death said he attributed his longevity to peace of mind and that it was his belief every one could live at least a century by attaining inward calm.
Compared with estimates of Li Ching-yun's age in previous reports from China the above dispatch is conservative. In 1930 it was said Professor Wu Chung-chien, dean of the department of Education in Minkuo University, had found records showing Li was born in 1677 and that Imperial Chinese Government congratulated him on his 150th and 200th birthdays.
A correspondent of The New York Times wrote in 1928 that many of the oldest men in Li's neighborhood asserted their grandfathers knew him as boys and that he was then a grown man.
According to the generally accepted tales told in his province. Li was able to read and write as a child, and by his tenth birthday had traveled in Kansu, Shansi, Tibet, Annam, Siam and Manchuria gathering herbs. For the first hundred years he continued at this occupation. Then he switched to selling herbs gathered by others.
Wu Pei-fu, the warlord, took Li into his house to learn the secret of living to 250. Another pupil said Li told him to "keep a quiet heart, sit like a tortoise, walk sprightly like a pigeon and sleep like a dog."
According to one version of Li's married life he had buried away twenty-three wives and was living with his twenty-four, a woman of '60.' Another account, which in 1928 credited him with 180 living descendents, comprising eleven generations, recorded only fourteen marriages. This second authority said his eyesight was good; also, that the finger nails of his right hand were very long, and "long" for a Chinese might mean longer than any finger nails ever dreamed of in the United States.
One statement of The Times correspondent which probably caused skeptical readers to believe Li was born more recently that 1677, was that "many who have seen him recently declare that his facial appearance is no different from that of persons two centuries his junior."
An article from the May 15, 1933 issue of Time magazine titled:
Tortoise-Pigeon-Dog
In the province of Szechwan in China lived until last week Li Ching-yun. ... By his own story he was born in 1736, had lived 197 years. By the time he was ten years old he had traveled in Kansu, Shansi, Tibet, Annam, Siam and Manchuria gathering herbs. ... Some said he had buried 23 wives, was living with his 24th. a woman of 60, had descendants of eleven generations. The fingernails of his venerable right hand were six inches long. Yet to skeptical Western eyes he looked much like any Chinese 60-year-old. In 1930 Professor Wu Chung-chieh, dean of the department of education at Chengtu University, found records that the Imperial Chinese Government had congratulated one Li Ching-yun in 1827 on his birthday. The birthday was his 150th, making the man who died last week—if it was the same Li Ching-yun, and respectful Chinese preferred to think so—a 256-year-old.
More about Li Chang Yun from the Toronto Evening Telegram, 26 April, 1942:
Li Chang Yun, 256, died May, 1933, Szechun Province, China.
At the age of 100 he was awarded by the Chinese Government a special Honor Citation for extraordinary services to his country. This document is available in existing archives. It is reported that he gave a series of 28 lectures at the University of Sinkiang when he was over 200 years.old. He attributed his longevity to his life-long vegetarian diet and regular use of rejuvenating herbs plus "inward calm". A renowned herbalist, he used Fo-ti-tieng and ginseng daily in the form of tea. He enjoyed excellent health, outlived 23 wives, and kept his own natural teeth and hair. Those who saw him at age of 200 testified that he did not appear much older than a man in his fifties.
A researched Li Chang(Ching) Yun is featured in this 1980 book: The Seed of the Woman by Arthur C. Custance
"At the age of 100 he was awarded by the Chinese Government a special Honor Citation for extraordinary services to his country. This document is available in existing archives. It is reported that he gave a series of 28 lectures at the University of Sinkiang when he was over 200 years.old. He attributed his longevity to his life-long vegetarian diet and regular use of rejuvenating herbs plus "inward calm". A renowned herbalist, he used Fo-ti-tieng and ginseng daily in the form of tea. He enjoyed excellent health, outlived 23 wives, and kept his own natural teeth and hair. Those who saw him at age of 200 testified that he did not appear much older than a man in his fifties."
Li Ching Yun is also featured in the recent book: Qigong Teachings of a Taoist Immortal: The Eight Essential Exercises of Master Li Ching-yun by Stuart Alve Olson
Another interesting item from "Museum Eurpeaum published in 1825:
"Thomas Carn, died in 1568 at the age of 207 years."
"The most remarkable instance of longevity which we meet with in British history is that of Thomas Carn, who, according to the parish register of St. Leonard, Shoreditch, died 28th January, 1588 at the astonishing age of two hundred and seven years. He was born in the reign of Richard the Second, anno 1381, and lived in the reigns of twelve kings and queens, Richard II, Henry IV, V, and VI. Edward IV and V, Richard III, Henry VII and VIII, Edward, VI, Mary, and Elizabeth. The veracity of the above may be readily observed by any person who chooses to consult the above mentioned register."
And this interesting tidbit:
"LLANMAES, or LLANVAES (LLAN-MAES), a parish in the hundred of COWBRIDGE, county of GLAMORGAN, SOUTH WALES, 3 1/2 miles (S.) from Cowbridge, containing 234 inhabitants.
This parish is situated in a most fertile and salubrious part of the Vale of Glamorgan, and within two miles of the Bristol channel : it is watered by a small rivulet, which, passing by the churchyard, falls into the Bristol channel about three miles below it. The lands, which are almost entirely enclosed and in a high state of cultivation, are fertile and productive ; and the environs abound with varied and pleasing scenery.
The salubrity of the air is attested by several entries in the parish register of the burial of persons whose lives had been extended to an almost incredibly protracted period : among these, the most remarkable are the following, which have been extracted verbatim;-" Ivan Yorath buried a Saterdaye the XVII day of July anno doni 1621 et anno regni regis vicessimo primo annoque aetatis circa 180. He was a Sowdiar in the fights of Boswoorthe, and lived at Lantwit Major, and he lived much by fishing. John Sherry was buried 8th of December 1624, aged 104 years. Thomas Watkin sepultus fuit octavo die Martii 1628, aetatis circa 100. Elizabeth Yorath wife of Edmund Thomas was buried the 13th of February 1668, aged 177."
From the "Anomalies and Curiosities of Medicine Part 1." I found these interesting references:
"In a churchyard near Cardiff, Glamorganshire, is the following inscription: "Here lieth the body of William Edwards, of Caereg, who departed this life 24th February, Anno Domini 1668, anno aetatis suae one hundred and sixty-eight"
"Jonas Warren of Balydole died in 1787 aged one hundred and sixty-seven. He was called the "father of the fisherman" in his vicinity, as he followed the trade for ninety-five years."
"in the chancel of the Honigton Church, Wiltshire, is a black marble monument to the memory of G. Stanley, gent, who died in 1719, aged one hundred and fifty-one.
I found this item referenced in "Acsadi & Nemekeri", P. 16 & Baily, 1857:
"Petratsh Zartan (Setrasch Czartan) died 1724 in Hungry at the age of 187. A few days before his death he walked a mile. Shortly before his death a Count Wallis had his portrait painted. When he died he was more than 10 years older than Abraham and 35 years older than "old Thomas Parr"."
And in Acsadi & Nemeskeri, p.17 & Toronto Evening Telegram, 9 Sept., 1939; 26 April, 1942.
Thomas Parr, 152, died 1635, in England.
At the age of 130 was an active farmer, did not marry till 80, then again at 120. Presented to King Charles I in 1635. The excitement of the journey to London brought on his death-its immediate cause was over- eating. He was autopsied by Harvey who found the "internal organs in a perfect state; his cartilages were not even ossified".
From Acsadi & Nemeskeri, p.16 we have more:
Kentigren, 185, died 5 Jan. 600 A.D. in Scotland. Founder of Glasgow Abbey.
From the Toronto Daily Star, 15 Dec. 1952 we have this one:
Baba Harainsingh, 176, died 1952, in India.
He had grown a complete set of teeth, the previous ones having fallen out when he was about 100 in the 1870s, his gray hair was also turning black again.
From Prichard, p.12 & Acsadi & Nemeskeri, p.l6. we have this one:
John Rovin, 172, died 1741, of Temesvar, Hungry. His wife, Sarah Desson Rovin died the same year at the age of 164 after a marriage of 147 years.
From Gould & Pyle, p.373, we have:
Henry Jenkins, 169, died 1670, in Yorkshire England.
Present at the Battle of Flodden (1513) at age of 12. When over 100 he was still an excellent swimmer.
From Toronto Star Weekly Mag.,15 Dec.,1956, p.2f & Time, 14 April, 1958, p.88.:
Javier Pereira, 169, died 1958, in Columbia, S.A.
Only 4'4" tall, weighed 75 pounds. Taken to New York Hospital Ñ Cornell Medical Centre in 1956. At that time he had all his hair without any gray, teeth were all gone, skin like old brown wrinkled leather, eyes cloudy but still serviceable, hands arthritic but a powerful hand-shake firm and surprisingly youthful. Arteries showed no signs at all of deterioration. His endurance and feats were remarkable Ñ like standing on one leg and pirouetting without losing his balance, walking three blocks and climbing two flights of stairs without losing his breath.He had no immediate relatives (though married 5 times), his last grandchild had died 15 years ago at age 85 years. He was known by oldsters in his own village when they were in their teens as the "old Indian who liked to dance".
Of course who could forget Shirali Mislimov! There are many references to Shirali Mislimov including the January 1972 issue of National Geographic. However from Toronto Evening Telegram, 20 May, 1971 & the Ottawa Citizen, 13 Feb., 1967, p.18 & Life, 16 Sept.,1966, p.121 & Gris & Merlin, p.88-115 & Time, 17 Sept., 1973 we have this:
Shirali Mislimov, 168, Died 1973, in Azerbaijan, USSR.
On his birthday (1971) he rose at dawn to do his daily chores in the garden and orchard. Among his well-wishers were doctors who gave him his annual physical and judged his health perfect. He has never been ill, though forced to give up riding horseback recently. At 160 he journeyed to the capital city (his first visit). There a doctor recorded his pulse at 72 and blood pressure at 120/75 Ñ but then this was after a threestorey climb! He neither smoked or drank. Survived by his third wife, 107 years old, 219 other family members, including a grandchild aged 100 years.
And this one from News Review, 22 Dec.,1938:
"Zaro Aga, (Bitlis, Ottoman Empire 1777 - İstanbul,Turkey 29 June 1934) aged 157 when he died, is claimed to be one of the longest lived humans in the history.
There is a debate on the actual age of Zaro Aga when he died. In his 1976 book Arthur C. Custance cites a News Review article from December 22, 1938, where a number of instances of individuals who survived to remarkable ages were given, among whom was a Kurdish named Zaro Aga who died in the United States in 1934, at the age of 164 years. Nevertheless, according to the death certificate given by his doctor Zaro Aga's age was 157. He has died in Istanbul, Turkey although there exists a confusion about the death place probably because the body was sent to US right after his death.
He was born in Bitlis, Mutki,Gundê Meydan , Ottoman Turkey and worked as a construction worker when he was young, then moved to Istanbul, worked as a porter for more than 100 years and finally retired as a janitor. He was a major attraction to press during his last years as the world's longest living man and traveled many countries including US, UK, Italy and France. His body was sent to US for research purposes after he died."
From the Sear's Wonders of the World we have this one:
"December 5, 1830, died at St. Andrews, Jamaica, the property of Sir Edward Hyde East, Robert Lynch, a negro slave in comfortable circumstances, who perfectly recollected the great earthquake of 1692, and further recollected the person and equipages of the lieutenant-governor, Sir Henry Morgan, whose third and last governorship commenced in 1680, viz., one hundred and fifty years before. Allowing for this early recollection the age of ten years, this negro must have died at the age of one hundred and sixty years."
