Centenarian Couple Tells the Secrets of Longevity on Double Ninth Festival

By Zhang Wencheng

Shanghai released a list of centenarians recently. By September 30, there are 2,281 centenarians in Shanghai and the oldest centenarian is 111 years old. According to the District Senior Citizens’ Work Committee, Hongkou District is truly a “district of longevity”. It is a district in Shanghai with the highest number of centenarians. 175 centenarians live in Hongkou District currently, including one centenarian couple. What are the secrets of longevity for this couple? How do they live everyday? With these questions in mind, our reporter paid a visit to this couple.

Centenarian couple tells the secrets of longevity

101-year-old Li Yingjie and 100-year-old Wang Huiyan is the most long-live couple in Hongkou District. They are also the only centenarian couple in Honghou District. They are a revolutionary couple got married during the War of Resistance against Japan. Both Li and Wang joined the New Fourth Army in their twenties and participated in the battle of liberation of Shanghai with General Chen Yi’s troops. The couple settled in Shanghai after liberation and gave birth to three daughters and one son. Now the couple lives in Guangzhong Community. This month, they celebrated their 76th wedding anniversary. When asked what their secrets for longevity are, the couple said the most important things are “optimism, regular life and family harmony”. Everyday, they get up at 5:00 a.m. to have breakfast. They have lunch at 10:45 a.m. and dinner at 16:45 p.m., and go to sleep before 21:00 p.m. They love eating pumpkin and Jiaozi (dumpling with meat and vegetable stuffing). They also love reading newspaper and watching TV. Having living together for 76 years, the couple also has disputes from time to time, but the way they solve problems is interesting. “We don’t have serious problems between us. My wife always agrees with me,” said Li Yingjie with a smile on his face.

People often say, “The aged is a treasure for the family.” The couple’s children show filial obedience to their parents and take care of them dedicatedly. The couple lives with their son and daughter-in-law, and their daughters often visit them. In their children’s eyes, growing old together is bless for the children, and they will try their best to satisfy their parent’s needs. They are grateful for the assistance that the Party and the government gave to their parents. Thanks to the assistance, the couple still has good mentality and healthy body. On the Month for Respecting the Aged this year, Hongkou District will give RMB300 to each centenarian as subsidy for celebrating the Double Ninth Festival.

Consultation stations of community service for the aged established in all sub-districts in Hongkou District

We should not only love our own parents, but should also show respect for other aged people. According to an official of the District Civil Affairs Bureau, by the end of 2017, Hongkou District has the highest number of aged people in Shanghai. 280,000 senior citizens with permanent residence live in Hongkou, accounting for 37.93% of the total population in the district with permanent residence. The District Party Committee and the District Government always attaches importance to the aged people. Assistance for the aged is an important livelihood project in the district. In recent years, Hongkou District continues to make trial reform on home-based and community-based care for the aged. 35 community service stations have been established in the district, offering high-quality caring service for the aged which needs only 15 minute’s walk. This year, Hongkou District becomes the first district in Shanghai that established consultation stations of community service for the aged in all sub-districts. An aged service information management system has been established to offer more precise service to the aged and thus enhanced people’s sense of gain and satisfaction. Next, Hongkou District will optimize the supply of elderly caring service, create social atmosphere that shows respect for the aged, loves the aged and offers help to the aged, and write a new chapter for pension service in the new era.