Peking, Aug. 24.
The world's oldest man, who antedates the American Republic by a!- most a century, has been found in Kaihsion, a town in southern Szechuan province, in the opinion of Professor Wu Chung-chieh, dean of the department of education at Minkuo University here. The man in question, Li Ching-yun, is now in his 262nd year, and this fact verified by dynastic records, accord ing to information obtained by Professor Wu.
The professor is interested especially in Li because he is reported to have found a "fountain of youth," in the shape of medicinal plants growing on the hills of Yunnan and Kueichow. He is urging the patriarch to visit Peking, so that he can investigate the seeret of his longevity. Professor Wu was told that Li has survived 23 wives, and is now living with his 2th, who is a mere 60 years of age.' Although his beard turned ite a century ago, he still walks ith the firm tread of a man in his prime, and has a big appetite, Li Ching-yun, according to Pro fessor Wu's informants, has ree fords to show that he was born in 167, during the reign of the Em= peror Kang Hsi, the second Emperor of the Manchu dynasty. He was a druggist in his youth, and, during his search for medicinal plants on the mountains of Yunnan, he discovered the herbs which have 40 remarkably prolonged his life, The First Hundred When Li attained the og years, in 1777, his old age was conidered remarkable, and the pro vineial authorities' petitioned the imperial government for an apr priate recognition. The govern ment at Peking consented, and it is declared that the order for this action is contained in the dynastic records, But Li kept on living, and, to the astonishment of his neighbourhood, finally reached his 200th year, The Imperial Government was surprised to got a pe= tition urging further recognition, and verified the old man's great age in the records.
Now the patriarch is well on his way toward his 900th year, and the residents of Kaihsien report that he shows no indications of senility, Last spring, General Yang Sen, the leading militarist in Szechuan, Invited 1 toa banquet Professor Wa understands that Li speaks readily concerning events his life, and has no trouble r calling incidents which occurred more than 100 years ago, Physi lly, the Chinese press reports, Li distinguished by a long chin and big ears.—United Press.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.