Li Ching-Yuen 5631166 225096069 2008-07-11T21:23:57Z Bart Versieck 57614 Small fix {{Infobox Person |name= Li Chung-Yuen |image= li chingYuen.jpg |200px |thumb |right |caption= Li Ching-Yuen, photographed in 1927 at the residence of General Yang Sen |birth_date= [[1677]]? or [[1736]]? |birth_place= [[Szechuan]], [[China]] |death_date= [[May 6]], [[1933]] (aged 197 or 256?) |death_place= [[Szechuan]], [[China]] }} '''Li Ching-Yuen''' or '''Li Ching-Yun''' ([[traditional Chinese]]: 李清雲; [[pinyin]]: lǐ qīng yún; died [[May 6]], [[1933]]) was a [[China|Chinese]] herbalist, martial artist and tactical advisor. He claimed to be born in [[1736]], while records suggest [[1677]]. Both alleged lifespans of 197 and 256 years exceed the [[oldest people|longest confirmed lifespan]] of 122 years and 164 days. ==The secret of [[longevity]]== The article ''"Tortoise-Pigeon-Dog"'', from the [[May 15]], [[1933]] issue of ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' reports on his history, since it included Master Li Ching Yuen's answer to his secret of a long life: * ''Keep a quiet heart'' * ''Sit like a tortoise'' * ''Walk sprightly like a pigeon'' * ''Sleep like a dog'' ==Biography== Li Ching-Yuen was supposedly born in 1677 in Chyi Jiang Hsie, [[Szechuan]] province. He spent most of his life in the mountain ranges gathering herbs and knowledge of longevity methods. In 1748, when he was 71 years old, he moved to Kai Hsien to join the [[Military history of China|Chinese army]] as a teacher of the [[martial arts]] and as a tactical advisor. In 1927, Li Ching Yuen was invited by General [[Yang Sen]] to visit him in Wann Hsien, Szechuan. The general was fascinated by his [[youthfulness]], strength and prowess in spite of his advanced age. His famous portrait was photographed there. Returning home, he died a year later. Some say of natural causes, while others claim that he told friends that "I have done all I have to do in this world. I will now go home," before he died. After Li's death, General Yang Sen investigated the truth about his claimed background and age. He wrote a report that was later published. In 1933, people interviewed from his home province remembered seeing him when they were children, and that he hadn't aged much during their [[lifetime]]. Others reported that he had been friends with their grandfathers. The truth regarding his long life may never be solved. ==References about Master Li Ching Yuen== Li's obituary was printed in ''[[The New York Times]]'', Time Magazine, and other publications. The ''Time'' magazine article stated that in 1930 Professor Wu Chung-chieh, from [[Chengdu]] University, found records from the Chinese Imperial Government congratulating Li Ching Yuen in his 150th birthday in 1827. One of his disciples, the [[Taiji Quan]] Master [[Da Liu]] told of Master Li's story: at 130 years old Master Li encountered an older [[hermit]] in the mountains who taught him [[Baguazhang]] and a set of [[Qigong]] with breathing instructions, movements training coordinated with specific sounds, and dietary recommendations. Da Liu reports that his master said that his longevity ''"is due to the fact that I performed the exercises every day - regularly, correctly, and with sincerity - for 120 years."'' Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming, in his book "Muscle/Tendon Changing and Marrow/Brain Washing Chi Kung", says that Li Ching-Yuen was a Chinese herbalist skilled in Qigong who spent most of his life in the mountains. In 1927, the [[National Revolutionary Army]] General [[Yang Sen (1884–1977)|Yang Sen]] (揚森), invited him to his residence in Wann Hsien, Szechuan province, where the picture shown in this article was taken. Chinese General Yang Sen wrote a report about him, "A Factual Account of the 250 Year-Old Good-Luck Man", where he described Li Ching Yuen's appearance: ''"He has good eyesight and a brisk stride; Li stands seven feet tall, has very long fingernails, and a ruddy complexion."'' Stuart Alve Olson wrote in 2002 the book "Qigong Teachings of a [[Taoism|Taoist]] Immortal: The Eight Essential Exercises of Master Li Ching Yuen". In this book he teaches the practice of the "Eight Brocade Qigong" learned with the [[Taiji Quan]] Master [[T. T. Liang]] (Liang Tung Tsai), who learned it from the General Yang Sen. The praticants of ''Jiulong [[Baguazhang]]'', also known as ''Nine Dragon Eight Diagram Palm'', claims that his art was conceived by the Daoist sage Li Ching Yuen''. The Taoist Master [[Liu Pai Lin]] (劉百齡), who inhabited [[São Paulo]], [[Brazil]] from 1975 until 2000, had in his classroom another photograph of Master Li Ching Yuen unknown in occident. In this photo his face is clearly visible, as are his long and curled fingernails. Master Liu had met him personally in [[China]], and considered him as one of his Masters. He used to say that Master Li answered to him that the fundamental taoist practice is to learn to keep the "Emptiness" ([[Wu Wei]]). Master Liu's son, Master Liu Chih Ming, teaches the 12 Silks [[Qigong]] in CEMETRAC, as transmitted by Master Li. Many cultures around the world, particularly in India, Tibet and China, tell of remarkable longevity achieved by spiritual (yogic and taoist) adepts. Yogananda's "Autobiography of a Yogi" with Immortal sage, Babaji and Peter Kelder's "The Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth" being examples. ==Chinese herbalist== Li Ching Yuen is also reported to be a real Chinese herbalist, proponent of the use of [[Gotu Kola]] and other [[Chinese herbs]] to conquer longevity. An interesting sidelight was thrown upon the unique properties of fo-ti-tieng (Gotu Kola) by a 107 year old [[Demographics of India|Indian]] [[sage]] named [[Nanddo Narian]], who claimed that the [[herb]] provides the missing ingredient in a man's diet, without which, he can never control [[disease]] and [[decay]]. He found it to be, in practice, the finest of all herbal tonics and [[nutrient]]s. ==Doubts about his alleged age== It is unlikely that Yuen's actual lifespan will ever be firmly established. While it is not likely that his claimed age of a quarter millennium is true, the census documentation of the rural 17th century China is so sparse with comparison to modern records as to make any sort of successful investigation. As there is only a single firmly documented case of an individual living over 120 years, and only a handful of cases of males living to 110, the legend of Li Ching Yuen is currently set in the category of [[longevity myths]] rather than fact. According to the legend, during the course of his lifetime he had 23 wives and about 200 descendants. By contrast, the longest confirmed, documentable lifespan is of a [[France|French]] woman, [[Jeanne Calment|Jeanne Louise Calment]], who died in 1997 at the age of 122 years, about half the lifespan of Yuen's alleged age. ==Bibliography== * Da Liu. "Taoist Health Exercise Book." Putnam Publishing Group, New York, 1983. * KELDER, Peter. "The Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth." Publisher: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, 1998. ISBN 0-385-49162-X * LIU, Pai Lin (劉百齢); HAYASHI, Yoshitsugu (林義貢); and SHIODA, Kenichi (塩田憲一). "Taoist Chi Kung Secret Transmission." [秘伝 道家氣功] Japan, Publisher: たま出版, 1995. ISBN 4-88481-426-6 * OLSON, Stuart Alve. "Qigong Teachings of a Taoist Immortal: The Eight Essential Exercises of Master Li Ching Yuen" Healing Arts Press, 2002. ISBN 0-89281-945-6 * Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming. "Muscle/Tendon Changing and Marrow/Brain Washing Chi Kung: The Secret of Youth." YMAA Publication Center, 1989. ISBN 0-940871-06-8 * REID, Daniel "The Complete Book of Chinese Health and Healing." Shambhala, 1994. ISBN 1-57062-071-7 * Yang Sen (General). "A Factual Account of the 250 Year-Old Good-Luck Man." (''Er Bae Wuu Shyr Suey Ren Ruey Shyr Jih''). Published by the Chinese and Foreign Literature Storehouse (''Jong Wai Wen Kuh''), Taipei, Taiwan. ==External links== * [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,745510,00.html] "Tortoise-Pigeon-Dog" Article From the [[May 15]], [[1933]] issue of Time magazine. * [http://www.amazon.com/dp/0892819456] "Qigong Teachings of a Taoist Immortal: The Eight Essential Exercises of Master Li Ching Yuen" by Stuart Alve Olson (Amazon Books). * [http://www.alamut.com/past/9906_jun.html] Account from the book on taoist yoga, "Muscle/Tendon Changing and Marrow/Brain Washing Chi Kung" by Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming (1989). * [http://www.ymaa.com/files/ISBN841.pdf] Excerpt from Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming's book, from YMAA's site. * [http://www.chinahand.com/qigong/a_story_of.htm] A Story of Master Li. * [http://www.chinahand.com/qigong/from_da_liu.htm] More on Li Ching-Yuen - from Da Liu. * [http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=349137] Google Answers - Longevity. * [http://www.ninedragonbaguazhang.com/whatis.htm] Jiulong Baguazhang, also known as Nine Dragon Eight Diagram Palm, conceived by the Daoist sage Li Ching Yuen. * [http://www.ninedragonbaguazhang.com/jiuhist.htm] The History of Jiulong Baguazhang. * [http://www.zubeco.com/gotukola/lichingyuen.html] Li Ching-Yuen: the most famous user of Gotu Kola (known in China as fo-ti-tieng). * [http://wongkk.com/answers/ans01b/nov01-3.html] Wong Kiew Kit answer's to readers questions (question number ten is about Li Ching-Yuen). * [http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liu_Pai_Lin] Portuguese Wikipedia's Article about the Taoist Master Liu Pai Lin. * [http://www.cemetrac.com.br/] {{pt icon}} CEMETRAC - Centro de Estudos da Medicina Tradicional e Cultura Chinesa * [http://www.martialdevelopment.com/blog/li-ching-yuen-the-amazing-250-year-old-man/] Li Ching Yuen obituary as printed in the New York Times. {{longevity}} [[Category:Chinese baguazhang practitioners]] [[Category:Longevity myths]] [[Category:Qing Dynasty Taoists]] [[Category:Republic of China Taoists]] [[pt:Li Ching Yuen]] [[it:Li Ching Yun]] [[fi:Lee Ching-yuen]] [[ru:Ли Цуньюн]]