Bama Winning Accolades as the Home of Longevity

For centuries， human beings have pondered the topic of longevity. If over one hundred residents in a population of one million people are 75 years of age or older， the area will be considered as a place of longevity. Numerous experts have turned to Guangxi’s Bama Yao Autonomous County， a magical and fascinating land branded as the Homeland of Longevity. It was recorded that during the Qing Dynasty （1636-1912）， residents in Bama County had an extremely long life expectancy compared to people living in other areas. Visiting those centenarians in a hundred-year-old village， you will see most of the old people are away from illness. Stories about their living legends have been widely spread across the country， enticing people to find an “elixir” for extending the duration of human life in a healthy and productive manner.

It is acknowledged that Bama was ranked fifth for longevity in the world at the conference held by the World General Federation of Natural Medicine in Tokyo in November 1991. Today， on a land with an area of 1，976 square kilometers， 81 residents are centenarians and 712 over the age of 90. These numbers have far exceeded the international standards for a place of longevity.

It is not a marketing ploy as you can easily find dozens of centenarians， listen to their stories and take pictures with them in Bama. The elderly are especially treasured as a living history book. Most of them have experienced wars， famines and the reform and opening-up. Visitors can give every centenarian a small red packet to wish them good health. These chirpy centenarians will then touch visitors’ forehead and wish them a long and happy life！ According to the local custom， a resident should prepare a coffin when he or she reaches the age of 60. However， many old people in Bama are still healthy even when the coffins prepared for them have long decayed away. Some even joked that generally the fifth coffin is the one they will lie in forever.

Bama nourishes most of its people in the mountains and valleys. For thousands of years， these people have been working hard in the fields， from sunrise to sunset. It makes them very uncomfortable and a bit stuffy to stop working for even one day. Every day， they have to climb a nearby mountain to carry out farm work or walk for a long time to go shopping. Some people’s fields are several kilometers away from their houses. Sometimes， villagers set up stalls beside the street to sell farm products. Such high-intensity physical exercise helps them develop strong body and prolong their lives. Compared with city dwellers， there are no frequent dinner parties with excessive meat and wine. Furthermore， their habit of bathing feet in warm water every night is thought as an effective way to maintain health.

Due to poor transportation， salt and meat are precious in remote villages. Therefore， everyday many residents eat one to two low-fat and low-salt meals that consist of seeds， bamboo shoots， corn and whole grains. Cooking oil is mostly extracted from hemp seed which is the key to Bama’s longevity because of its power to promote cell regeneration. As a result， people in Bama rarely develop those major chronic health problems such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. The local soup and cosmetics made from hemp seed are popular overseas. As a land of plenty， Bama takes pride in its “green products for longevity” selected by the International Medical Community， including the roast pork， pearl-like corn， sweet potato， soybean， pumpkin stems and banana noodles， just to name a few.

Leading a simple but regular life， the locals satisfy themselves with their current situation and often offer hands to other fellow villagers. All people there live a peaceful life without any tension. It is common to see five generations of one family harmoniously living together. With the ideal environment， physical exercise and healthy diet， Bama residents are able to lead healthy lives into their 90s and 100s.

For years， travellers to China have told tales of this eternal pure land left behind by the mortal world. In Bama， one of the most interesting things is that you can hear different accents. Legends about Bama’s centenarians have spread across the country and people who have been diagnosed with cancers or tumors are obsessed with finding an instant cure for their illnesses. Each year， influxes of visitors， especially the elder people， make a beeline for Bama and stay for a period of time in the hope of getting healthier both in body and mind， thus prolonging their lives. Some even live in Bama for three or four years. This group is nicknamed “migratory people （Houniaoren）”， with lives like those of migratory birds.

Bama’s morning is busy. Thousands of migratory people， in pajamas， shorts or vests， in armchairs or on crutches， flock to the Baimo Cave. Some play Tai Chi and the others clap their hands as a keep-fit exercise. They all firmly keep their eyes on the cave that appears to be the magic source of an elixir. Every now and then， you may hear the traditional Chinese opera from a radio carried by an old man. After dinner， some people may climb the mountains.

Embraced by craggy mountains， thick bamboos and glossy trees， with the pollution-free Panyang River flowing from north to south， Bama perfectly boasts fresh air， appropriate sunlight exposure and natural mineral water. For Bama’s residents， the air they breathe， the water they drink and the living habits they keep all contribute to their health. Situated on a deep fault line， the county maintains a large number of negative ions in the air. Scientific tests showed that the amount of negative oxygen ions is 3，000 per cubic centimeter， 100 times that of Beijing， which can protect the body from chronic diseases， especially cancers.

Endless of people are obsessed with Bama’s water. They carry plastic bottles to collect the spring water from the river. Some drink eight bottles of local water everyday， as if each sip will extend their lives. Due to the geomagnetism of the area， water is formed into hexagonal crystals. These hexagonal crystals are more easily absorbed by cells， allowing better metabolic activity. This magnetic field is also believed to help blood circulation. By taking advantage of Bama’s fame， Bama water wins many honors， one of which is the “Well-Known Chinese Brand” — Bama Lilang Water.

In addition to the untouched environment， Bama County is also unique in other ways. Researchers said that Bama’s soil， with a high content of manganese and a low content of copper， can reduce the rate of cardiovascular diseases， while zinc can improve immunity. The sunlight that Bama receives is at a special intensity， with the perfect amount of both infrared and ultraviolet radiation.

Although not everyone around the world can access the environmental benefits of Bama， we also can learn a lesson from its residents — to eat healthy， do physical activity， and be optimistic.