Shi Ping (Chinese: 施平; 1 November 1911 – 29 June 2024) was a Chinese academic, political administrator, and supercentenarian. He is posthumously recognised as having been the world's oldest verified living man from the death of Venezuela's Juan Vicente Pérez on 2 April 2024, until his own death.[1]
Shi Ping | |
|---|---|
施平 | |
 Shi, c. 1937–1938 | |
| Vice President of China Agricultural University | |
| In office 1953–1960 | |
| Secretary of East China Normal University | |
| In office 1978–1983 | |
| Secretary General of Shanghai Municipal People's Congress of the Chinese Communist Party | |
| In office 1983–1985 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Shi Eryi 1 November 1911 Dayao County, Yunnan, Qing dynasty |
| Died | 29 June 2024 (aged 112 years, 241 days) Xuhui District, Shanghai, China |
| Political party | Chinese Communist Party |
| Spouse |
Yang Lin (died 23 January 1935) |
| Children | 1 |
| Relatives | Shi Yigong (grandson) |
| Known for |
|
Biography
editShi was born Shi Eryi (Chinese: 施尔宜)[2] on 1 November 1911, in Dayao, Yunnan.[3][4] Between February and August 1931 he studied at the University of Nanking, moving to Zhejiang University in September of the same year and studied there until June 1936.
He joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1938,[3] and joined as a soldier and fought with the New Fourth Army in 1941 during the Second Sino-Japanese War. At the time of his death, he was the most senior surviving member of the New Fourth Army.
Shi became vice president of Beijing Agricultural University in 1953, holding the post until 1960.
From 1978 to 1983, he was the CCP committee secretary for East China Normal University. Shi served as secretary general of Shanghai Municipal People's Congress from 1983 to 1985.
Personal life and death
editShi Ping met his wife, Yang Lin, at Zhejiang University. At the time, Yang was one of the key organizers of revolutionary student movements in Hangzhou. She was arrested and imprisoned by the Nationalist government, accused of being a Communist Party member. She died in a Hangzhou prison just 18 days after giving birth to their son, Shi Huailin, on January 23, 1935. Shi Ping remained a widower for the next 89 years until his death. Their only son, Shi Huailin, became a professor at Zhengzhou Institute of Technology but died in a car accident on September 21, 1987.[5] Shi's grandson is biophysicist and university president Shi Yigong.[6]
Shi died on 29 June 2024, at the age of 112 years, 241 days. He had been the world's oldest living man following the death of 114-year-old Juan Vicente Pérez of Venezuela on 2 April 2024, though his age claim was not verified until after his death. Upon his validation in August 2024, he became the first ever verified supercentenarian from China.[7] He was the last male to be alive at the time of the sinking of the Titanic on April 15, 1912, as well as last male to be alive before the end of the Qing dynasty. Following Shi's death, then 111-year-old John Tinniswood of the United Kingdom became the world’s oldest man.
References
edit- ^ "World's oldest living man titleholders". Gerontology Research Group.
- ^ "113岁新四军老战士施平逝世，系施一公院士祖父_中国政库_澎湃新闻". The Paper (newspaper). Retrieved 29 June 2024.
- ^ a b "收到总书记的回信后，这位110岁的新四军老战士写下一行字". Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
- ^ "施一公祖父、新四军老战士施平，或成亚洲最年长男寿星_中国共产党_革命_杭州". www.sohu.com. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
- ^ "辞清华，任西湖大学校长的施一公家世了得，爷爷奶奶是浙大高材生" (in Chinese). 9 May 2023.
- ^ "施一公百岁爷爷专访：从成功学运到受困的教育改革". 搜狐教育 (in Chinese). Learning.sohu.com. 5 December 2015. Archived from the original on 22 February 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
- ^ "Shi Ping becomes the first validated supercentenarian in China and candidate for the Guinness World Records' WORLD's OLDEST MAN title". Gerontology Research Group. 5 August 2024. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
