Secrets Of Longevity Village
The secret of longevity — it's humanity’s time–old obsession. Whether through genetic studies seeking to quantify the magic formula, savvy corporations selling us diet plans, or spiritual thirst for esoteric wisdom, it’s clear that we all want a bite from the celestial peach!
In my research I came across Guanxi in the autonomous county of Bama Yao, known as China’s ‘longevity village’. With the highest percentage of centenarians, it’s been the focus of several longevity studies and even benefited from hordes of tourists flocking there on longevity tourism.
When a Dr Yang Ze from the Institute of Geriatrics at Beijing Hospital started studying the villagers in the 90s, he noted the following key points in their lifestyle:
They ate a simple diet high in vegetables while low in animal protein, salt and sugar
The elderly were not lonely, and were surrounded by family and their community
They were physically active, working on the farms until well into their 90s
They were generally calm, content and had few worries or desires
And on the advice of the villagers themselves:
Huang Puxin, 113: “Be a good person. Have a good heart.”
Huang Makan, 108: “Eat green, organic, simple foods. I eat sweetcorn congee a lot. I don't have many demands.”
Huang Meijian, 99: “Work and walk around every day.”
Aside from certain environmental idiosyncracies — such as Guanxi’s mountain location and relative seclusion from the rest of society — there’s not much about their lifestyle that we can’t implement in our own daily life. I am, of course, affirmed to hear about their diet, but also mindful that diet is nothing without peaceful lifestyle habits and state of mind.
Sadly, Bama Yao’s reputation has become its own double–edged sword. With the influx of tourism and money, the region’s lifestyle has changed in the past few decades. The villagers experience increased pollution, and they’ve started to eat more refined or animal–based produce. It’s no coincidence that the proportion of centenarians has drastically fallen. It’s the ultimate dichotomy that the Bama Yao’s long lives could be attributed to absence, rather than abundance.
Regardless, for those of us seeking the good life, there are very obvious cues we can take from the Bama Yao. It seems that the secret to longevity is hardly a secret at all. The question is: why is it so hard to live so simply?
