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Tibet's oldest woman turns 118

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-03-16 22:35

Tsering receives 800 yuan a year from the regional government, a subsidy for those aged above 100.

As the centenarian became famous, many people began to drop by with gifts, largely cereal, cooking oil and yak butter, which have eased the family's financial burden, said Pasang Dekyi.

The family built a new two-story house last year, with 12,000 yuan in   government subsidies and 20,000 yuan from a Lhasa hotel.

Tibet has 79 centenarians, according to the regional civil affairs bureau.

"We have the feeling that Tsering is among the oldest people in the world," said village official Chen Jianlan. "But she cannot apply for a listing in the Guinness World Record because the procedure is too complicated."

According to Chen, Guinness needs to confirm a person's age through a series of lab tests including DNA. "There's no such testing center in Lhasa, and at her age, it's dangerous to travel too far," Chen said.

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