| Peng Zu | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1900 BC |
| Died | c. 1066 BC (aged 800) |
| Nationality | Chinese |
| Other names | 彭祖 |
| Known for | Legendary long life |
Peng Zu (彭祖, Ancestor Peng) is a legendary long-lived figure in China. He supposedly lived over 700 years in the Yin Dynasty (殷朝 1900 to 1066 BC).[1] Some legends say that one year was 60 days in ancient China; that made him more than 130 years old. Others say he was accidentally left off of the death list in heaven. Peng Zu was regarded as a saint in Taoism. The pursuit of eternity drugs by supporters of Taoism was highly influenced by Peng Zu. He is well known in Chinese culture as a symbol for long life, nutrition treatments, and sex therapy treatments. Legend maintans he married more than 100 wives and fathered hundreds of children, as late as in his 800s.
One of his life extending techniques was coitus skill, which purportedly extracts female energy into the male body (harvesting from Yin to supplement Yang).
He ate naturally and used herbs to enrich his nutrition. Chinese people believe that his long life, good health, and sexual energy were attributed to the food he ate. His life style emphasized meditation. He was viewed as one of the pioneers of Qigong.
The place where he lived and died was called Peng Shan (Mountain Peng, 彭山), from which the county was named (in Sichuan Province, China). His shrine, tomb, and statue are preserved in Peng Shan County.
There is a Peng Zu Festival every year for people to pay respects to his legacy and pray for healthier, happier, and longer lives. His pictures hang in houses all over China and are popular birthday gifts for senior citizens.