Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) on Thursday visited three centenarians in the city, including 102-year-old Wang Te-yung (王德永), whose lifelong passion for photography is apparent in the many photo albums he plans to pass on to his grandchildren.
Readying for celebration of the upcoming Double Ninth Festival on Thursday, the mayor visited the residents bearing gifts of NT$10,000 cash and a fruit basket, in addition to a certificate and golden lock on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Wang, who lives in Fongshan District (鳳山), was born in northeast China.
Photo: Fang Chih-hsien, Taipei Times
It was while attending high school in Japan that he developed an interest in photography, he said of the hobby that has taken him through 10 broken cameras.
In 1948, Wang came with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) to Taiwan, where he ran a pharmacy in Lingya District (苓雅) for a decade.
He and his wife, now 88 years old, have six sons.
Sharing his secret to old age, Wang said that keeping a regular schedule has helped.
He meditates first thing every morning, followed by a breakfast of oatmeal and two boiled eggs, then two other meals at regular times, Wang said.
He likes to travel on tour buses and ride his bicycle to the supermarket, he added.
Although he used to drink two cans of beer nightly, Wang said he has cut the habit and replaced it with soda.
Wang shared some of his photo albums with Chen, even taking out his camera to snap a photograph of the mayor.
As an extra gift, Chen brought out a case of soda for the photographer, who joked that the company should hire him as a spokesman.
The mayor did not have far to travel to visit the next centenarian, Fongshan resident Huang Ting-jui (黃丁瑞), who at 101 years old loves to sing and spend time with his great grandchildren.
Chen lastly visited 100-year-old former martial artist Changchien Chan Ching-yeh (張簡詹清葉) in Daliao District (大寮).
According to the Kaohsiung Social Affairs Bureau, there are 376 centenarians in the city; 148 men and 228 women.
The oldest are 112-year-old Jen Chang Mei-nun (任張妹?) and 109-year-old Chu Shu-pei (朱叔培), who also received visits from city officials.
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