Caring for mom, 106, at 76

During one sunny spring day, 76-year-old Zeng Zhaokai did something ordinary. The farmer who lived in Xiaoli Town of Jinan, East China's Shandong Province, visited his mother's house after he got up. His mother, Guo Zenglan, 106 years old, cannot bend her arms, so every morning Zeng washes her face and combs her hair.

After that, he and his 80-year-old wife, Guo Yichen, fetch breakfast to her bed, help her put on clothes and support her to the sitting room for a chat. On such a sunlit day, they go to the yard to enjoy the sunshine.

Seeing that his mother was fine in the company of his wife this morning, Zeng went to the fair by bicycle. He was riding fast so not to keep her waiting for too long. He bargained with the vendors proficiently and rode back immediately after he bought pork and oranges, both being his mother's favorite foods.

This is an ordinary morning for this family of three whose ages add up to 262 years.

Zeng's father passed away when he was a teenager. His mother never remarried but spent all her time and energy raising her six children. As the only son, Zeng felt obligated to treat his mother well. In the last 40 years, he has worked hard to make her happy.

Zeng's own children live in the city, so it fell on him and his wife to care for his mother. They led a simple life even seldom eating meat. But as his neighbors believe, the vegetables in their daily diet are the main reason why all of them are very healthy so late in their lives.

Zeng tends to 0.3 hectare of land which feed the three well. He only calls his own children to lend a hand at the busiest time of the year.

In March, Zeng was honored as one of the 10 most filial children of the region where he lives. The local government awarded him 500 yuan ($67) and a certificate. This is the highest honor Zeng has ever received. He put the certificate high on the wall, saying that half of the honor belongs to his wife.

(China Daily 10/11/2007 page20)