5 principles of happiness and longevity from the Chinese writer Ma Shitu, who lived for 109 years

Ma Shitu, a famous Chinese writer, politician and calligrapher, passed away at the end of March. He was 109 years old. His name is not so popular in our country, but in his homeland Ma Shitu became a real symbol of a strong, brave and stress-resistant man who was not broken by circumstances.

From under his pen came out 18 books. Among them are 10 historical novels, essays, satirical stories and short stories. Until the last day Ma Shitu did not stop working and writing. He saw education as the main source of vitality and happiness. He taught this to everyone else.

What else helped the Chinese writer to keep a clear mind at such an advanced age? Let’s find out.

About the life of Ma Shitu

The writer was born on January 14, 1915 in the small town of Shibao, in the Chinese province of Sichuan. His family was intelligent and educated. Parents laid in their child a love of reading and the desire to learn new things.

From the school bench Ma Shitu delved into the study of the Chinese language, showed interest in ancient texts, learned the art of writing characters. In addition to linguistics and literature, the young man was attracted to history and social studies. By his senior year of high school, he had the idea of changing the politics of his country and improving the welfare of the people.

Ma Shitou

Entering Peking University, Ma Shitu joined a group of revolutionary-minded students. He participated in underground organizations fighting for the rights and freedom of the oppressed. For illegal political activities he was forced to flee to Shanghai and was in the shadows for two years. During this time, Ma Shitu wrote his first short story, which was published and honored by the magazine’s editors.

It was dangerous for the writer to publish under his own name, so he took the pen name Shitu. Which literally means “an old horse knows the way”. That is – an experienced person who always finds a way out of a difficult situation. The real name of the Chinese revolutionary is Ma Zanmu.

After a two-year lull, the writer decided to radically change the sphere of interests. He entered the Nanjing Chinese University of Nanjing on the specialty of chemical engineer. Successfully graduated from the institution. But the desire to write did not leave him. As did his desire to change the existing political system in China.

Ma Shitu joined the Communist Party of the country, and his main revolutionary activity began. He wrote and published extensively. But before the change of power, he was constantly on the run. Ma Shitu was even arrested and spent several years in prison.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Ma Shitu held various leadership positions in education and science. In the last years of his life, he was the founder and director of the China Writers’ Association, as well as the chairman of the Sichuan Literature Federation.

Until the end of his days, the writer did not stop working and read a lot. He published his last novel at the age of 107. In our country, not many works by Ma Shitu have been translated and published.

The most popularized of his novel is considered to be “10 chapters of night history”, which tells about China in the 1920s. The book is based on the movie “Let the bullets fly” (2010, directed by Jiang Wen).

Secrets of longevity of the writer

Ma Shitu, despite all the difficulties he met in his life, was characterized by a positive attitude. Contemporaries noted his determination, desire to achieve goals and strength of spirit.

Ma Shitu emphasized five simple life principles that always helped him to go forward and qualitatively perform any task.

1. Strictly observe the regime of day and sleep. The writer lay down at nine in the evening and got up at six in the morning. The day necessarily began with exercise and a thick breakfast.

2. pay attention to the surrounding reality and develop insight.

3. not to panic and not to go deep into worries.

4. Constantly work mentally, train your memory and brain.

5. Seek friends with whom there are common interests and mutual understanding.

How are brain function and longevity interrelated?

The secret of Ma Shitu’s longevity lies in his continuous brain activity. Cognitive work can really improve the quality of life. Constant self-development, reading books and writing letters can improve memory properties and even physical indicators of health.

Business psychologist, clinical psychologist “Clinic of Dr. Anikina”

“Moderate brain strain is essential for mental health. It’s like with muscles: you don’t need to perform athletic feats to be physically healthy, but regular fitness (just 15 minutes a week) will keep your body active for years to come. It’s the same with the brain: stress occurs when a person sets tasks that require mental effort to solve.”

Cognitive activity is very energy-consuming. But to keep the brain energized, it needs to work all the time. That’s the only way you keep it working.

Motor skills also affect the brain’s productivity. For example, writing letters by hand. This process involves neural connections.

Reading is another way to prolong brain function. It gives an opportunity to develop logic, thinking, the skill to find solutions to complex issues. Ultimately, it allows a person to slow down in the midst of endless hustle and bustle.

Overcoming obstacles and finding solutions to problems is the key to human development. But it is important to set achievable goals for oneself, so as not to get out of the resource state and mental balance.

Thus, active participation in learning and goal attainment can be the basis for developing a healthier and longer life.