Zhang Meiyu | |
![]() Zhang Meiyu in October 2020, at the claimed age of 115. | |
Birth: | 4 October 1905? Empire of Japan (now Taiwan) |
Age: | 119 years, 129 days? |
Country: | ![]() |
Longevity claimant |
Zhang Meiyu [Chinese: 張美玉] (born 4 October 1905?) is a Taiwanese longevity claimant whose age is currently unvalidated by the Guinness World Records (GWR). In October 2022, she was reported as the oldest living person in Taiwan by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Biography[]
Zhang Meiyu claims to have been born on 4 October 1905 (marked on her ID card as the 7th year before the creation of Republic of China) in Empire of Japan (now Taiwan).
Zhang has two sons and four daughters. In her 80s, she told she took the plane alone to help her daughter, living in the USA, to take care of her newborn son. At the age of 90, she was still able to saw the branches of her litchi tree.
Centenarian years[]
On the Mother's Day in 12 May 2012, Zhang was reported to still go out by taking the bus, to exercise every day and to be physically strong. She likes walking in group.
In October 2014, Zhang was reported as the oldest living person in Taichung. She was visited by the mayor, Hu Zhiqiang. She was reported to be lucid and in good health, and to led an ordinary life. She eats three meals a day (mostly mush), and goes each month to hospital to have vitamins (called nutritionnal injections).
In October 2019, Zhang was visited by Lu Xiuyan, the mayor of Taichung. Zhang was reported to like wearing stylish hats and glasses, and to put some make-up on her face. She wakes up early and goes to bed early, with taking a nap at noon.
In August 2020, Zhang traveled 4 kilometers with a wheelchair, but was lost. A policeman took her back to her home. In October 2020, she was reported as the second-oldest living person in Taiwan, after a 117-year-old woman of Taipei.
In 2022, Zhang had a fall, and was hospitalized in Taichung. Her physical strength and her hearing deteriorated. In April 2022, she underwent hip surgery, possibly making her the oldest person who underwent this operation, being older than Gladys Hooper. The third day after the surgery, she was able to walk again with a walker.
In October 2022, Zhang was reported to be the oldest living person in Taiwan; her predecessor, a claimed-118-year-old woman of Taipei, went to limbo.
Zhang currently lives in West District, Taichung, Taiwan, at the claimed age of 119 years, 129 days. If her claimed age were validated, she would be the oldest known living person in Asia (being older than Tomiko Itooka), since the death of Kane Tanaka on 19 April 2022. She would also be the oldest person ever from Taiwan, as well as the oldest known living person in the world since the death of Lucile Randon on 17 January 2023.
Gallery[]
References[]
- 四代同堂老萊子:阿母我愛妳 China Times, 13 May 2012
- 101對老兒子與老母親的真情對話 Blog Xuite, 14 May 2012
- 胡志強訪百歲人瑞 致贈敬老金 China Times, 19 September 2014
- 103年度重陽節探視百歲人瑞--劉張美玉(110歲) Taichung City, 19 September 2014
- 神岡人瑞蔡鄧歛妹103歲 林佳龍揮毫贈以孝傳家 China Times, 10 October 2016
- 中市重陽敬老 林副市長探訪百歲人瑞祝身體健康 Taichung City, 18 October 2017
- 百歲人瑞養生之道 打麻將 不挑食 晚上九點睡 China Times, 5 October 2018
- 115歲人瑞劉張美玉分享長壽秘訣:早睡早起愛漂亮 Line Today, 8 October 2019
- 台中「市寶」116歲人瑞嬤超勇健 2大長壽秘訣曝 SET News, 27 August 2020
- 台中清朝阿嬤過117歲生日 「今年金牌卡重」記憶力驚人 SET News, 27 October 2020
- 后里百歲人瑞長壽秘訣 每天起床前做500下伸展操 Liberty Times Net, 5 October 2021
- 台中117歲人瑞髖關節手術成功 比英國記錄還多5歲 United Daily News, 8 April 2022
- 台中101歲奶奶愛吃巧克力 公開長壽秘訣 Liberty Times Net, 22 September 2022
- 「歡喜慶重陽」~111年百歲人瑞5,076人,創歷年新高! Ministry of Health and Welfare, 4 October 2022
- 做好2大準備,老人動手術不再是禁忌!118歲人瑞重獲行動力,生活品質大提升 Feng Life Health Health Care Book Excerpts, 14 February 2024
- 臺灣最長壽的人是誰? UpToGo, 13 October 2024