256-year-old Chinese man Li Ching-Yuen was the longest living person on our planet. He was discovered in 1930 by the New York Times newspaper, when he was already over 200 years old.
Li Ching-Yuen was a professor at Chengdu University, while the first accounts of his age date from 1827, when he was 150 years old.
In his homeland, the Chinese man was known as an herbalist who wandered the mountain regions and used the plants he found for medicinal purposes. His diet was based on goji berry, ginseng and rice wine.
In 1749, when he was 71, he joined the Chinese army as a martial arts teacher.
Li Ching-Yuen has been married 23 times and is claimed to be the father of over 200 children.
After his death, a legend spread by one of Li's students went that his master had found an old hermit, aged 500 years, who taught him his methods. Their longevity reached these record numbers due to the special way of life they had led.
"Keep a quiet heart, sit like a tortoise, walk sprightly like a pigeon and sleep like a dog, " was the advice Li gave to everyone who wished to match his long life.
Quiet, combined with healthy food and breathing exercises also play a role in increasing lifespan.
In the diets of the record holders we see an absence of sweets and fatty meats, while no one could have guessed that genetically modified foods would even exist.
Meditation is also a must because it helps stabilize psychological and emotional health.