127-Year Old Woman in China: Real or Hoax?

It is claimed that a woman born in 1885 in China lived to the age of 127.

The woman passed away in June 2013, and her age is disputed.

Luo Meizhen claimed to have been born on July 9, 1885, which at 127 years old would have made her about 5 years older than the oldest verified human, Jean Calment, who died at the age of 122 back in 1997. It would have also made her 9 years older than the oldest verified living human, who is 116. Luo Meizhen died in June 2013.

Skeptics have pointed out a few problems with Meizhen’s story:

• Age of Children. Her sons’ ages means she would have given birth to one of them at the age of 61.
• Records. There do not appear to be records of her birth, as China’s modern birth certification system did not exist in 1885.
• Identification. Meizhein’s identification showed a birth date of 1885, but it was issued in modern times and not backed by any birth records.

Meizhen’s claims had the backing of the China Gerontological Society, but that group has failed to convince international skeptics. That group also claims that the average age of the 10 oldest people in China is 117, none of which are internationally accepted.

Bottom Line

Claims of extreme longevity are common, but they often come without verification, as is the case here. We will probably never know for sure how old Luo Meizhen really was.

Source

• 125-year-old tops the longest living Chinese list (Shan Juan, China Daily: October 17, 2010)
• REPORT: 127-Year-Old Woman Dies In China (Business Insider: June 11, 2013)