| Zhang Chen | |
 Zhang Chen (at right) in May 2009, aged 109. | |
| Birth: | 24 December 1899 Qing dynasty (now China) |
| Death: | 28 July 2010 Tangshan, Hebei, China |
| Age: | 110 years, 216 days |
| Country: |  CHN
|
| Unvalidated | |
Zhang Chen [Chinese: 张琛] (24 December 1899 – 28 July 2010) was a Chinese supercentenarian whose age is currently unvalidated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG).
Biography
Zhang Chen claimed to have been born on 24 December 1899 (22 October 1899 by lunar calendar) in Qing dynasty (now China). He had 6 siblings. At the age of 16 in 1915, he left his home to work in the railways. He worked in Tanggu (a district in Tianjin) train station. In 1941, he moved to Tangshan train station, and worked here until his retirement in 1961.
Zhang had ten children: six sons (the oldest aged 86 in 2010) and four daughters (the youngest aged 58 in 2010). Two of his daughters died in the Tangshan earthquake in 1976.
In May 2009, Zhang was visited by Li Chen [Chinese: 李深], the president of Chinese Health Care Association for Elderly. At this time, he was reported to live with his 86-year-old son, his 63-year-old grandson and his 6-year-old great-grandson. Li Chen visited Zhang again on his 110th birthday, and he received a certificate, and a medal of China Health and Longevity Home [Chinese: 中国健康长寿之家].
In February 2010, Zhang was reported to have more than 150 descendants in five geneartions, living in Harbin, Jilin, Handan, Beijing, and other places. Three of his granddaughters moved to the United States to study.
Zhang was admitted at hospital on 27 July 2010. He died of heart failure on 28 July 2010 in the 6th district of Fengrun District, Tangshan, Hebei, China, at the age of 110 years, 216 days.
Potential Longevity Records
He was the fifteenth-oldest known living person in China at the time of his death (sixteenth if counting Luo Mienan from Bama County).
If validated, Zhang would have been the third-oldest living man in the world, after Walter Breuning and Jiroemon Kimura.
Zhang would also have been the last surviving man born in 1899, having survived verified Hilliard Hudson and pending Michael DeSantis.
Gallery
References
- Unvalidated Claims (Age 108 and Older) from China (not updated since 2011)
- 中国老年保健协会会长李深到唐山作健康报告 cehca.com, 6 May 2009 (Archived)
- 110周岁老人张琛荣获“中国健康长寿之家”奖牌 National Middle Age and Elderly Network (全国中老年网), 25 December 2009 (Archived)
- Report at age 110 zgeclm.com, 10 February 2010 (dead link)
- Death mention Tangshan News, 31 July 2010 (dead link)