The oldest woman in the world has died aged 122.
Lin Shemu passed away peacefully in her sleep at home.
The birth date on her official documents was 18 June, 1902.
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She lived for 122 years and 197 days.
The Chinese national was born during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty.
Theodore Roosevelt was the US President and Lord Salisbury was the Prime Minister.
She was ten-years-old when the Titanic sank in 1912.
Lin lived her whole life in the Chinese province of Fujian, situated between Shanghai and Hong Kong in China.
Lin had three sons and four daughters with her late husband.
Her youngest son is 77-years-old today (4 Feb).
Apart from losing her eyesight due to old age and injuring both legs in a fall, Lin suffered from no other illnesses and was able to take care of herself her whole life.
She always maintained a sharp sense of hearing and a good appetite, according to her relatives.
Her youngest son said she was always content and good humoured.
He stated that she would quickly find a spring in her step if she was ever feeling down.
He also said that he never saw her argue with anyone.
She would often tell her children: “There is no obstacle in life that cannot be overcome.”
When she was asked about the secret of her longevity in the past, Lin answered: “Being able to eat, drink and sleep.
“They are a blessing.”
Lin’s family never applied to Guinness World Records to have her age verified.
The oldest woman alive today is considered to be Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas at 116 years.
She replaced Japan’s Tomiko Itooka, who was recognised as the world’s oldest living person.
Itooka passed away in a nursing home in Ashiya, Japan, on 29 December, as reported by Need To Know.
Jeanne Calment, who lived from 1875 to 1997, is recognised as the oldest person to have ever lived.
She passed away aged 122 years and 164 days.
She is the only person in history who has been verified to have reached the age of 120.
If Lin’s documents are correct, she would have outlived Calment by 33 days.
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