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This 101-year-old woman credits late-night snacks and ‘night owl’ routine for her incredible longevity

Jiang Yueqin is in good physical condition for her age and is a mother of seven.

3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jan 25, 2026 06:09 PM IST

She typically stays up until about 2 am watching television and wakes up naturally around 10 am (AI-generated representative image)

Jiang Yueqin, a resident of Wenzhou in Zhejiang province, is reportedly in good physical condition for her age and is a mother of seven. According to a South China Morning Post report, she still has all her natural teeth and has never needed dental treatment or dentures.

Over the past two years, Yueqin has adopted an unconventional lifestyle. She typically stays up until about 2 am watching television and wakes up naturally around 10 am. After getting out of bed, she starts her day with a cup of green tea, the report added.

Explaining her mother’s sleeping habits, Yao Songping said, “My mum is just like a young person; she’s a true night owl. Despite her late nights, her sleep quality is excellent. She falls asleep within minutes of lying down. This routine only developed over the past two years.”

Further, Songping said that the change began after Yueqin suffered a fall that injured her hand and required surgery. During her recovery, family members discouraged her from doing housework to prevent further strain. With less activity during the day, Jiang began napping more, which made it difficult for her to fall asleep early at night. Over time, this evolved into her current late-night routine, the newspaper reported.

Yueqin now eats her first meal later in the day, with dinner around 6 pm. If she feels hungry at night, she has snacks at about 9 pm. The report stated that her favourite foods include matisong, a crispy Wenzhou pastry made from water chestnut, as well as snacks popular among younger people, such as crisps, shaqima, a traditional sweet made from rice, and dried sweet potato dates.

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Despite being over a century old, Yueqin has no trouble eating. “She never breaks snacks into pieces. She simply pops them into her mouth and chews slowly,” Songping told wendu.cn.

Yueqin lived for more than 30 years with her husband, who is no more, in a house in an old Wenzhou alley. Family members recalled that the couple were often seen walking together or sitting outside their home, a familiar scene that led neighbours to affectionately call them “the most clingy couple in the alley”.

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Reflecting on her mother’s long life, Songping said, “Eating well, sleeping well, and enjoying a cup of green tea every day are all important. However, what truly matters is her mindset. She never holds onto anger or takes things too seriously. She doesn’t bear grudges. You could say she lives her life with extraordinary clarity and peace.”