Recently, the family of Mr. Nguyen Van Tieu, a resident of Tru Son Commune, Do Luong District, Nghe An Province, celebrated his 112th birthday. During the celebration, the elderly man wore a red shirt, held a sparkler, and joyfully smiled along to his grandchildren’s “Happy Birthday” song.
Images and information about Mr. Tieu quickly spread on social media, receiving numerous well wishes from the online community. Many expressed a desire to “inherit the good fortune” (xin vía) for their own grandparents and parents to live as long as Mr. Tieu.
Mr. Nguyen Van Diem, Mr. Tieu’s grandson, stated that despite his advanced age, his grandfather remains very healthy and lucid, only experiencing some hearing loss.
Mr. Tieu has eight children and now has great-great-grandchildren. He lives alone, near the home of his eldest grandson’s family.
Previously, Mr. Tieu cooked for himself, mainly boiled food. Currently, his meals are prepared by his children and grandchildren. He enjoys eating banh chung (sticky rice cakes) and can finish one over the course of a day, split into several meals.
He still often uses a cane to visit his children and grandchildren in the village and rarely falls ill, almost never taking Western medicine. When health issues arise, he typically picks medicinal leaves to brew or uses traditional remedies.
Mr. Diem shared: “If he catches a cold, he just chews a few raw garlic cloves or some small shallots and drinks a sip of wine.”
Quite some time ago, Mr. Tieu was bitten by a dog and did not get a rabies vaccination, leading to a wound that never fully healed, often swelling and causing discomfort.
According to Mr. Diem, Mr. Tieu has 8 children, and “too many” grandchildren and great-grandchildren to count.
Mr. Tieu had a habit of taking cold showers early in the morning, regardless of winter or summer, a practice he maintained until he was nearly 100 years old.
“He used to say that morning showers are gold, noon showers are silver, and evening showers are lead. Taking showers in the early morning is very good for health. However, for someone his age, bathing with cold water is very dangerous,” Mr. Diem shared.
The family installed a water heater for him to use warm water, but he would often still take cold showers when his children and grandchildren weren’t around. After many instances of monitoring him, he eventually changed this habit.
According to Mr. Diem, Mr. Tieu’s secret to longevity is likely his constant cheerfulness, carefree nature, kindness, and peaceful demeanor, which made him loved by everyone. His children and grandchildren are always proud of his health, lucidity, and virtuous life, and wish to “inherit his good fortune.”
Mr. Nguyen Thuy Chinh, Chairman of the Tru Son Commune People’s Committee, stated that according to records, Mr. Nguyen Van Tieu is 112 years old this year and is currently the oldest person in the commune. However, the Commune Chairman also noted that Mr. Tieu’s age is based on his old identity card, making it difficult to determine its exact accuracy.
Source link: https://dantri.com.vn/an-sinh/cu-ong-112-tuoi-khi-gan-tram-tuoi-van-tam-nuoc-lanh-vao-buoi-sang-20250103213137038.htm
