In today's society, people who can live to the age of eighty or ninety are already recognized as long-lived elderly people, let alone those over a hundred years old. We often see a family gathered around the centenarians to celebrate his birthday. What we often ask is: "What is the secret to maintaining longevity?"
Today we are going to introduce a 112-year-old long-lived elderly person - Yan Youyun , and told us the secret: "Don't exercise, don't avoid eating, love fat, have a good mentality."
01 Yan Youyun, born in Shanghai in 1905, was a very famous industrialist and painter Yan Xinhou, who was a very famous industrialist and calligrapher and painter in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China. He devoted his life to the development of national industry and finance, and made outstanding achievements.
1887 In 1887, Yan Xinhou invested 50,000 taels of silver to establish China's first machine-scattering factory in Ningbo Bay Head. In the following years, he successively served as the first general manager of China Merchants Bank and participated in the establishment of Siming Bank, Huaxing Insurance Company, etc.
The foundation laid by his grandfather was also well inherited by Yan Youyun's father. Yan Zijun inherited his father's business and did business. He had hosted Yuanfengrun 号 and some money dealers in Shanghai. He gradually gained his reputation in Shanghai and his business path was very smooth.
The Yan family is from Ningbo, Zhejiang. It has a huge family business and many family members. When you have money, you should not forget your foundation and pay attention to integrity in your business. It is a major feature of merchants in Ningbo . After the Yan family became rich, they were also very kind and righteous, and donated money to the country to build many new schools and railways.
The struggle of the first two generations laid a very solid foundation for Yan Youyun to have no worries about food and clothing after she was born. Because she often deals with foreigners, the elders of the Yan family attach great importance to their children's learning of Chinese and Western cultures.
In this way, the Yan family has become a famous scholarly family. Both men and women in the family have to receive education from Chinese and Western cultures. Because the whole family lives together, there are many children in the family, so the adults in the family hired two university teachers for them, one teaches Chinese and the other teaches English.
Yan Youyun has lived in such a warm and cultural big family since she was a child. When she was young, she would always chase her father to ask about their origins. Whenever she went to school, Yan Youyun was also the most active child.
It is under this kind of cultural education that Yan Zijun's three daughters were all very proud to be admitted to higher education institutions. The eldest sister of the Yan family went to the United States to study after graduating from Jinling Women's University. She studied Nutrition and later became a scientist. After graduating from Jinling Women's University, she contributed great strength to China's education.
In the 1920s, when higher education in China was still in its infancy and women received low education, the Yan family was also very happy.
family environment provides a platform for the three sisters of the Yan family to understand the broader world.
The new culture accepted in the early days made Yan Youyun already have new ideas. She was very eager to get rid of the shackles of the old society's favor of boys over girls. She was determined to break out of a world and let the world see that women are also powerful, knowledgeable and thoughtful.
She studied very hard every day. In 1925, Yan Youyun was admitted to Hujiang University . She loved freedom and was unwilling to be restricted. She felt that the rules of the school were too cumbersome, so she transferred to Fudan University to study in business after less than two years.
Most of the students studying business, politics, medicine and law were boys at that time. Their purpose of going to college was to be more of aspiring to enter the political circle and become a half-time position. As a scarce woman in college, Yan Youyun's appearance attracted the attention of many boys.
She grew up in a wealthy environment since childhood. She is very luxurious and exaggerated in food, clothing, housing and transportation. Yan Youyun drives her car with license plate number 84 to school every day.
Over time, many boys gave Yan Youyun a nickname "The Flower of Love". The origin of this name is inseparable from her car. Those boys pronounced English eightyfour into Shanghai language and became "The Flower of Love".
As she grows older, her father Yan Zijun's "Lao Jiuzhang Silk Clothing" business is getting bigger and bigger, so she often has no shortage of new clothes. Whenever she enters the school gate, it is like the beginning of a fashion show, and there are different clothes every day.
According to the classmate who went to school with her at that time, what impressed her most was that Yan Youyun would apply rouge every day. In addition, Yan Youyun herself looks good, and after applying rouge, she often gets attention from others, so she became the school’s recognized school beauty.
Not only did she look outstanding, but her academic performance was also very excellent. During her two years at school, she surpassed most people and quickly completed 135 credits. It is difficult for the existence of a goddess-level person like
to prevent the boys in the school from paying attention to her. Therefore, Yan Youyun has countless suitors in the school, but Yan Youyun, who has seen many new things, has not easily been deceived by those suitors.
She has her own standards for the choice of her partner. The other party must be a mature man who can resonate with her spiritually. He does not need to have a lot of wealth but thoughts are necessary.
02 Two Loves
At a college dance, Yan Youyun, who is naturally lively, stood on the stage very generously and began to dance ballroom dance with her classmates around her happily. Her laughter attracted Yang Guangli not far away.
Yang Guangxi is five years older than Yan Youyun. He graduated from from Tsinghua University . He was a professor at Tsinghua University and an advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at that time. He was a famous talented man named Junlang 5 at that time. Many wealthy families hoped that their daughter could marry him, so they often sent people to ask him if he was free and arranged a date.
But he often chooses to refuse. Yang Guangxi pursues free love, and he likes cheerful and generous girls.
Yang Guangli looked into the middle of the dance hall with laughter, Yan Youyun laughed, and that glance made Yang Guangli fall in love. During the whole dance, he looked in the direction of Yan Youyun intentionally or unintentionally, and his partner also joked with him: "This is the youngest daughter of the Yan family. I heard that many people are chasing her. You just look at them like this, probably you can't steal those people."
Yang Guangxi suddenly blushed after being teased by his companions, and he took the initiative to greet Yan Youyun. His appearance did indeed gain Yan Youyun's special attention, but Yan Youyun did not directly accept his invitation.
In order to pursue Yan Youyun, he often appeared at the dance party where Yan Youyun was. Gradually, Yan Youyun began to agree to go out for a date with him. During the chat between the two, Yan Youyun looked at this man who talked and remembered the national justice at all times, and was moved.
Yang Guangxi is the confidant and loved she is looking for. He is a young and promising diplomat, outstanding talent, handsome and handsome.
Soon, in 1929, a unique Western-style wedding was held in Shanghai. It was the wedding of Yan Youyun and Yang Guangxi. The combination of famous Shanghai celebrities and diplomats shocked the Shanghai beach at that time.
The wedding of two people was held at the very famous Shanghai Dahua Hotel at that time. There were as many as 10 groomsmen and bridesmaids. Many newspapers and magazines made their wedding news and sold considerable sales.
After the wedding, Yan Youyun transformed from a daughter whom she loved, and became the wife of a diplomat. Her face was filled with the charm of a young woman she had never seen before.
The relationship between the two became deeper after marriage. Yan Youyun accompanied Yang Guangxi on missions all over the world. After a few years, the crystallization of their love came one after another, and the three daughters of the Yang family came to them.
1938, Yang Guangxi served as the Consul General of China in Manila as the Minister. At that time, large-scale anti-Japanese activities were underway in China. The unstable situation made Yang Guangxi choose to temporarily settle down in Manila with his wife and children.
He fully utilized his identities as overseas Chinese and diplomats, and raised a considerable amount of funds from the overseas Chinese community. He quickly handed over the funds to the country through various channels, making very outstanding achievements for Anti-Japanese War . Yan Youyun, as his good wife, also helped him a lot.
Yan Youyun personally organized the decoration of the Consulate General and accompanied Yang Guangxu to attend diplomatic activities of all sizes. Her fluent English was also recognized by many diplomats.
After the outbreak of the Pacific War , the Japanese army captured Manila on a large scale, and seven diplomats in the consulate were taken away at that time, including Yang Guangxi.
More than 40 families of seven diplomats were at a loss after receiving this news, and some even cried every day.
Yan Youyun was very worried about her husband's situation and didn't know whether he was alive or dead. Knowledge and knowledge supported her a strong heart. She did not show the weak and at a loss of time for the rich lady, but instead endured all this calmly and managed all the affairs of the family in an orderly manner.
Faced with the sudden change of fate, she always told herself that she should look forward to face life. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why she can live for a hundred years.
As a diplomat's family, she feels responsible for taking care of the wives and children of several other diplomats. More than 40 people are like forming a big family and becoming relatives who are "blood thicker than water". While hiding from the war, they have not forgotten to live seriously.
They started growing vegetables, making shoes, and raised poultry in the yard, and learned handmade sauces. In her spare time, Yan Youyun will not lament about life. She always maintains an optimistic attitude and occasionally plays a few songs for everyone.
When Yan Youyun was 100 years old, she recalled this time and said with great emotion: "Looking back now, we were indeed very brave back then. Most of us were very young. Although we didn't know the situation of our husbands and the direction of our future destiny, we always encouraged the other to look forward."
Yan Youyun, who had received higher education in Fudan , has a very firm grasp of her daughter's learning. She and Yang Guangxu often talk in bilingually at home in order to create a good language environment for their children. When the children are reading early-painted textbooks, she is always with them and has never been absent.
Later, when the war gradually receded, Yan Youyun got the worst ending she thought of - Yang Guangxu sacrificed her country, and for a long time her heart was surrounded by sadness, but she could only pretend to be strong and take her three daughters to New York.
That year, Yan Youyun was 37 years old. A young lady who was held in her palm since she was a child must now be self-reliant in order to survive with her three daughters in this chaotic world.
It is because of family reasons, Yan Youyun received a lot of help from her family. , the weak-hearted girl, became a solid sonorous rose in the suffering, and she always looked forward.
In New York, she had her first formal job - the United Nations Concierge Officer. Her every move showed the generosity of a lady. She never made any mistakes at work and became a very outstanding female diplomat.
It was during that time in New York that she met her second husband in her life, that is the famous diplomat Gu Weijun .
17-year-old age gap did not make Yan Youyun retreat. The mature manly feeling shown by Gu Weijun made her very obsessed.
In this relationship, Yan Youyun is like a good housekeeper, a good nurse, and a good secretary. She takes care of Gu Weijun who is already old.
Yan Youyun wakes up a quarter of an hour earlier than her husband every day, just warming him up a glass of milk because she is worried that it will be bad for her health when she has an empty stomach for too long after dinner.
When they are not working, the two are often inseparable. It takes Gu Weijun an hour and a half to get up to eat. She patiently accompanied to by his side, reading newspapers or making phone calls.
In Gu Weijun's 5 million words oral memoir, many of Yan Youyun's careful care for him were mentioned.
Gu Weijun and Yan Youyun accompanied each other in their later years and supported each other. In this way, the two spent 26 years of spring, summer, autumn and winter together.
It is precisely because of Yan Youyun's careful care that Gu Weijun also lived to be 97 years old very healthy and long-lasting until Gu Weijun's death in 1985.
Five years after Gu Weijun's death, Yan Youyun donated nearly 155 precious relics from Gu Weijun to the Jiading Museum in Shanghai, Gu Weijun's hometown. In order to commemorate her deceased husband, she also contributed to the establishment of the Gu Weijun's life showroom.
03 Older life
After retirement, Yan Youyun did not forget to read and pay attention to national affairs. As early as when she was young, she was very enthusiastic about public welfare undertakings, invested more than 50,000 US dollars to set up reading rooms such as "Caiyun Lianyun Youyun Room" , "Guangliu Library" and other reading rooms.
also gave his photos to his alma mater on his 100th birthday, wishing his alma mater a bright future and celebrated his 100th anniversary with his alma mater. The report at that time also made the reputation of "a centenarian celebrating the 100th anniversary of his alma mater" .
Her three daughters have become talents one after another under her training. The eldest daughter is the editor-in-chief of American magazines, the second daughter is the vice president of General Motors in the United States, and the third daughter is dedicated to the real estate industry all her life and has made outstanding achievements.
Daily life without work, in addition to taking care of Gu Weijun's daily life, she also likes to play mahjong, bake cakes , and can also do needlework when she is bored.
Her lively and cheerful personality has not changed until her old age. In her autobiography, she is a person who likes to make new friends very much, and there are as many as sixty or seventy phone numbers on her phone book.
She has never relaxed her pursuit of beauty. For decades, she has never changed her habit of wearing high heels and cheongsams. Although there are more wrinkles on her face, she never cared about it. As long as she goes out to play, she will apply some rouge.
In 2003, Yan Youyun found out that she had colorectal cancer during her daily physical examination, but she was not intimidated by the cancer cells. She went to the hospital very actively for a review every day. That kind of vitality is rare for elderly people of this age.
is also her positive attitude. The operation she performed at the age of 97 was very successful. Less than a week after the operation, Yan Youyun returned home to recuperate herself.
She can also dance with her doctor in a good spirit at her 98th birthday party, and she still wears her "best friend" high heels.
Age is growing, but Yan Youyun's thoughts and spirit are still very clear. She writes a diary before entering school every day to record her memoirs of her century-old life.
Because of the scarcity of centenarians, there are often reports of Chinese people calling Ocean to ask about her health. Whenever Yan Youyun was asked, she would say casually: "Don't exercise, don't avoid food, love fat, eat as much as the cream, look forward."
She always adjusts her mentality to an optimistic mode. She doesn't like to take out the past and chat, and the same is true for her during the most difficult times of her life.
She wrote in her autobiography "109 Springs": "When people often ask me, 'How are you doing today', I always answer that every day is a good day."
So for her, every day in the world is a good day, how could she not want to live longer?
The birth of a lady from a family has always made her have a good temper. She rarely meets others with a blush in dealing with people. People who often deal with Yan Youyun say that their deepest impression of Yan Youyun is her smile.
She always maintains a happy mood and inner satisfaction in her heart, and the fulfilling spiritual world makes her love for this world very much.
The secret to her longevity is that she has a mellow and century-old life, like a bottle of red wine that has been treasured for many years.
In that era, Shanghai's socialites often became accessories to powerful and rich men, and there were few gentle women like Yan Youyun who were truly independent of the world.
The ups and downs in real life did not knock her down. After many years after those turbulent years, she could still narrate them calmly and calmly.
The heart that always kept her young allowed her to be healthy and long until she was 112 years old. She witnessed a century of changes. Although the meaning of the word "famous socialite" has changed slightly now, the beautiful Yan Youyun is still the charming celebrity.
Reference source
1. People's Daily 2015.09.26 "Personal Minister of Foreign Affairs Li Baodong visited Mr. Gu Weijun's widow Ms. Yan Youyun"
2. The Paper 2017.05.26 "112-year-old Fudan goddess Yan Youyun died in New York, and her circle of friends is all over Modern and modern Chinese "
3. Xinhuanet 2017.05.26 "Yan Youyun, the widow of the famous diplomat Gu Weijun, died in the United States at the age of 112"
