Li Ching-Yuen

Infobox Person
name= Li Chung-Yuen


caption= Li Ching-Yuen, photographed in 1927 at the residence of General Yang Sen
birth_date= 1678? or 1736?
birth_place= Szechuan, China
death_date= May 6, 1928 (250?)
death_place= Szechuan, China

Li,Ching-Yuen or Li,Ching-Yun (traditional Chinese: 李清雲; pinyin: lǐ qīng yún; died May 6, 1928) was a Chinese herbalist, martial artist and tactical advisor. He claimed to be born in 1734, while disputed records suggest 1678. Both alleged lifespans of 197 and 256 years far exceed the 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" 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 1678 in Qi Jiang Xian, Szechuan province. He spent most of his life in the mountain ranges gathering herbs and knowledge of longevity methods. In 1749, when he was 71 years old, he moved to Kai Xian to join the 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 Wan Xian, 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.

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 French woman, Jeanne Louise Calment, who died in 1997 at the age of 122 years, less than half the lifespan of Yuen's alleged age.

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 Qigong", 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 (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 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 wild reishi, wild ginseng, he shou wu and gotu kola along with other Chinese herbs to conquer longevity.

An interesting sidelight was thrown upon the unique properties of He Shou Wu by a 107-year-old 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 or decay. He found it to be, in practice, the finest of all herbal tonics and nutrients.

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.