According to legend, Li Qing Yun was a traditional Chinese medicine physician, herbal expert, qigong master, and tactical consultant. In May 1933, Time magazine reported on him in an article entitled Tortoise-Sparrow-Dog, in which he revealed his secrets for longevity: Maintain a tranquil mind, sit like a turtle, walk like a sparrow, and sleep like a dog.
Li Qing Yun’s secrets for maintaining good health
Li Qing Yun claimed that his good health and longevity came from a vegetarian lifestyle, maintaining inner peace, and drinking wolfberry tea. He insisted that maintaining inner peace was the key to longevity. At the same time, wolfberry performs a role in the removal of toxins that have accumulated in the blood and liver, all of which help maintain normal tissue and organ functions.
Subscribe to our Newsletter!
Receive selected content straight into your inbox.
His diet primarily consisted of vegetables, a little rice, and an occasional red wine.
Li Qing Yun had quite different habits in his daily life. He did not drink liquor or smoke, and he ate his simple meals at regular times. He went to bed early and got up early. Then, when he had time, he sat with his back straight, his eyes closed, and his hands on his lap, and meditated for a few hours at a time.
He grew long fingernails on his left hand and used little bamboo covers to protect them. He cut them off when they were six inches long and stored them in a wooden box. He was a quiet man who spoke only occasionally and then only of relevant things.
He had 24 wives in his lifetime but did not share a room with them. Still, he was reportedly the father of over 200 children. He specialized in treating ailments of the eyes and bones. He liked to tour the country and treat illnesses as he traveled. He charged a high price for his services, providing a living for his large family.
In his spare time, he played cards but always managed to lose enough money each time for his opponent to buy a meal. Many remembered him as a decent and honest man who never got angry.
Li Qing Yun spent his whole life studying Chinese herbs and searching for the secrets to longevity. He traveled through China to collect herbs.
Exactly how long Li Qing Yun lived is unknown. However, when people asked him how old he was, he answered that he was over 200 years old.
Translated by Natasha Yang
