Lin Shemu, believed to be the world’s oldest woman, has passed away at the age of 122, peacefully in her sleep at her home in the Chinese province of Fujian.
Born on June 18, 1902, Lin lived through two world wars, two pandemics, and the introduction of electricity to British homes.
Her remarkable life spanned 122 years and 197 days. She was born during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty in China, when Theodore Roosevelt was the US president and Lord Salisbury was the Prime Minister of Great Britain.
Lin spent her entire life in Fujian, a province located between Shanghai and Hong Kong. She was 10 years old when the Titanic sank in 1912.
She had three sons and four daughters with her late husband. Her youngest son is now 77 years old, as of February 4, 2025.
Aside from losing her eyesight due to old age and injuring both legs in a fall, Lin was remarkably healthy and independent throughout her life. Her family said she always maintained sharp hearing and a strong appetite.
Her youngest son described her as a cheerful, content person, always quick to regain her spirit if she ever felt down. He noted that she never argued with anyone and often told her children, “There is no obstacle in life that cannot be overcome.”
When asked about the secret to her longevity, Lin once said, “Being able to eat, drink, and sleep. They are a blessing.”
Although her ID confirmed her birth year as 1902, Lin’s family never applied for Guinness World Records recognition, so she was never officially recognized as the world’s oldest person.
Currently, the oldest living woman is Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas, who is 116. She succeeded Japan’s Tomiko Itooka, who passed away at 116 on December 29, 2024, and had been officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest person.
