In the previous report, the reporter introduced you to the legendary 95-year-old Mrs. Shi Xiuying from Rugao — who still insists on “running” five kilometers every day. Coincidentally, at the symposium that day, there was also a 95-year-old gentleman (pronounced “diā,” a term of endearment for the elderly in the Rugao dialect) Mr. Sun Guirong, who also insists on getting up early every day to “run” several kilometers.
Compared to the “unrestrained” Mrs. Shi, Mr. Sun Guirong is more of an “introverted talent”: he doesn’t have Mrs. Shi’s booming voice, and his exercise routine is relatively simple — just brisk walking. But Mr. Sun loves reading newspapers, and even at 95, he reads the Yangtze Evening News without glasses. And if you see his elegant small regular script handwriting, you’ll understand even better why the reporter calls Mr. Sun very “introverted and talented.”
Brisk walks of several kilometers every morning, and Mr. Sun’s small regular script handwriting remains steady
At the symposium on the afternoon before arriving in Rugao, the two centenarians, Mr. Sun Guirong and Mrs. Shi Xiuying, were undoubtedly the most eye-catching to the reporters. Unlike Mrs. Shi’s “high-profile” appearance and active “performance,” Mr. Sun quietly sat in the meeting room, patiently listening to other seniors share their fitness experiences.
At one point, the reporter almost forgot there was a 95-year-old man present, because Mr. Sun looked to be only in his early 80s. It wasn’t until Wang Ruyi, chairman of the Rugao Senior Sports Association, handed the reporter a torn-off “almanac” — dated October 20, 2013 — that the reporter noticed something. On the enlarged “20,” inside the “0” of the date, were two lines of elegant small regular script: “Good scenery does not last forever, good flowers do not bloom forever,” signed by Sun Guirong.
Chairman Wang Ruyi introduced to the reporter: “Mr. Sun has sharp eyes and ears, and writes beautiful small regular script. At the age of 95, his hands don’t shake at all when writing with a brush, which surprises us ‘younger folks’ who are over 20 years his junior.”
The reporter quickly turned on the camera and asked Mr. Sun to talk about his usual fitness routine. Unexpectedly, Mr. Sun became a bit nervous at the sight of the camera. He said slowly, “I mainly ‘run.’ When I was young, running 10 laps around the track (4,000 meters) was easy. Now I can only do brisk walking, but I still stick with it every day. Out of 365 days a year, I only rest for 5 days, starting from the sixth day of the Lunar New Year. Every day I walk around Rugao City (the county seat of Rugao). Also, I do a set of joint exercises in the morning, at noon, and in the evening, so my shoulders and neck are still in good shape.”
Worked as a typesetter in Shanghai when young, Mr. Sun and the reporter were once “colleagues”
Compared to Mrs. Shi Xiuying, Mr. Sun is not particularly talkative, but what he says is clearer and more organized. The reporter sensed he also had a story to tell, and quietly thought about how to get him to open up. Coincidentally, Mr. Sun gradually got used to speaking in front of the camera and began gesturing with his hands. The reporter noticed that Mr. Sun was wearing a large gold ring on his left ring finger.
When asked by the reporter, Mr. Sun did indeed talk about his past. He told the reporter that the ring was not a gift from his children or grandchildren, but something he earned himself from “working” back in the day, and proudly raised a finger to the reporter, whispering: “One tael (in weight).”
It turned out that before liberation, Mr. Sun had once apprenticed at the Shanghai Great American Evening News and successfully became a typesetter. “The Great American Evening News was founded by overseas Chinese (founded in Shanghai on April 16, 1929), and had both Chinese and English editions. I only had an elementary school education before, and all the characters I recognized and books I read were self-taught during my time at the Great American Evening News.” One could hear that Mr. Sun was quite proud and nostalgic about his time in Shanghai.
Having experienced life in bustling Shanghai and having seen much of the world, as well as having gone through the hardships of war and turmoil, Mr. Sun started paying attention to physical health much earlier than others. When he was young, he would run around the stadium nearly every day, completing 10 laps. After retirement, the thing he was most proud of was that when he was nearly 70, he hiked up Mount Huangshan. “At that time, many people around me were surprised, saying this old man is in really good shape. But actually, it was all thanks to the foundation of exercising regularly when I was young.”
Reads Yangtze Evening News without glasses, handwrites small regular script to send blessings to readers
Since Mr. Sun was almost the last to speak at the symposium, and seeing that it was getting late, the reporter wrapped up the interview, and Wang Ruyi, chairman of the Rugao Senior Sports Association, arranged for the seniors to be sent home.
The next day, accompanied by staff from the Rugao Sports Bureau, the reporter drove to Mr. Sun’s home for a follow-up interview. To the reporter’s surprise, Mr. Sun, a former typesetter, and the reporter — and even the organization the reporter works for — actually shared quite a special connection.
After a phone call, Mr. Sun personally came out to lead us to his home at No. 51 Haiyang Road, Rugao City. On a winter afternoon, with warm and gentle sunlight, Mr. Sun sat by the window writing and reading the newspaper. When we entered, the newspapers and writing materials on the table hadn’t been put away. What made the reporter feel especially close was that there was a thick stack of Yangtze Evening News on the table, with not a single issue missing in the past two months. It turned out Mr. Sun is a loyal reader of the Yangtze Evening News and subscribes to it every year. Upon learning that the reporter worked for this newspaper, Mr. Sun immediately became excited and expressed his wish to send New Year’s blessings to the Yangtze Evening News’ millions of readers.
Spreading out paper and brush, Mr. Sun carefully and meticulously wrote the blessing: “Wishing readers of the Yangtze Evening News a joyful New Year and success without delay.” After finishing, Mr. Sun looked at it left and right and seemed a bit dissatisfied. “Ah, it’s not as good as I usually write. I was a bit nervous with you all here, please forgive me.”
When the reporter asked Mr. Sun why, at the age of 95, he still had sharp eyes, steady hands, and such clear thinking, Mr. Sun gave a simple answer: “Exercise, and stick with it.” Afraid the reporter wouldn’t believe him, he insisted on sitting by the window and pointed to a line of small print under the headline on the front page, reading it word by word to the reporter. “How about that? My eyesight isn’t just talk, right? Sticking with exercise not only slows down the aging of my organs, but also keeps my mind clear. My children and grandchildren all enjoy chatting with me. A few years ago, my granddaughter even took me to Shanghai for several months.”
When parting, Mr. Sun insisted on seeing the reporter and the team out the door. Of course, the reporter refused, but the neighbors sunbathing in the yard heard and laughed, saying to me: “Young man, the old man probably walks more than you do every day. If he wants to see you off, let him. It’s fine.”
Expert Opinion
More exercise for seniors can strengthen the brain and prevent dementia
From the fitness experience of Mrs. Shi Xiuying in the previous issue, we can see that exercise has good effects in preventing illness and prolonging life — what is now advocated as “exercise is the best medicine.” From Mr. Sun Guirong, we can also see that exercise can train the brain, delay the decline of brain neurons, and help prevent dementia.
The seniors who attended this fitness symposium were all over 80 years old, but none of them looked decrepit or hunched over. Everyone was spirited, sharp-eyed, and keen-eared. Many of them studied at senior universities, some helped with management work, and some were leaders in various fitness activities. In a meeting room with temperatures at minus 3 degrees Celsius, everyone eagerly shared their fitness experiences and insights, speaking clearly and vividly. Some couldn’t contain themselves and even stood up to demonstrate — not at all like a meeting of seniors over 80, but more like a party for young people. The famous German doctor Gofland once pointed out: “There is no lazy person in the world who can live long. All those who live long have led active lives.” Research by Finnish scholars shows that the impact of exercise on the aging process is greater and more important than genetic factors. The fitness experiences of Rugao’s long-lived seniors are a good testament to these studies.
Exercise helps promote blood circulation in the brain, increasing oxygen supply to the brain. Elderly people who exercise regularly have higher oxygen levels in the cerebral arterial blood, improving oxygen supply to brain cells, thereby slowing brain atrophy. Maintaining brain function also depends on continuous positive stimulation. Exercise accelerates and improves the transmission of information between brain cells, making them more agile and sharp. Regular exercise improves the functioning of the central nervous system, prevents brain aging, and enhances the excitability, balance, and flexibility of brain neurons. Maintaining vision and hearing in the elderly is crucial for normal social interaction and a high quality of life. Regular exercise can effectively prevent age-related macular degeneration and is beneficial for protecting the vision of the elderly. At the same time, regular physical activity can improve blood flow and nutrient supply to the inner ear, delaying hearing decline in the elderly.