At the end of March, the famous Chinese writer, politician and calligrapher Ma Shitu passed away. He was 109 years old. In our country, his name is not so popular, but in his homeland, Ma Shitu has become a true symbol of a strong, brave and stress-resistant person who did not let himself be defeated by circumstances.
18 books came out of his pen. Among them are 10 historical novels, essays, satirical stories and short stories. Ma Shitu did not stop working and writing until the last day. She saw education as the main source of vitality and happiness. He taught this to everyone else.
What else helped the Chinese writer maintain mental clarity at such an advanced age? Let’s figure it out.
About the life of Ma Shitu
The writer was born on January 14, 1915 in the small town of Shibao, in the Chinese province of Sichuan. His family was intelligent and educated. Parents instilled in their children a love of reading and a desire to learn new things.
Since school, Ma Shitu deepened his study of the Chinese language, showed interest in ancient texts and learned the art of writing hieroglyphs. In addition to linguistics and literature, the young man was attracted to history and social studies. When he was in high school, he became obsessed with the idea of changing politics in his country and improving the well-being of the people.
ma shitu
Photo: the110club.com
Upon entering Peking University, Ma Shitu joined a group of revolutionary-minded students. He participated in underground organizations that fought for the rights and freedom of the oppressed. Due to illegal political activities he was forced to flee to Shanghai and was in the shadows for two years. At that time, Ma Shitu wrote his first story, which was published and commented on by the magazine’s editors.
It was dangerous for the writer to publish under his own name, so he adopted the pseudonym Shitu. Which literally means “the old horse knows the way.” That is, an experienced person who always finds a way out of a difficult situation. The Chinese revolutionary’s real name is Ma Zanmu.
After a two-year hiatus, the writer decided to radically change his area of interest. He entered the Chinese University of Nanjing to major in chemical engineering. He successfully graduated from the educational institution. But the desire to write did not abandon him. As well as the desire to change the existing political system in China.
Photo: zorazhuang / istockphoto.com
Ma Shitu joined the country’s Communist Party and began his main revolutionary activities. He wrote a lot and was published. But before the change of power, he was constantly on the run. Ma Shitu was even arrested and spent several years in prison.
After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, Ma Shitu held various leadership positions in the fields of education and science. In the last years of his life he was founder and director of the Chinese Writers Association, as well as president of the Sichuan Provincial Literature Federation.
Until the end of his days, the writer did not stop working and reading a lot. He published his last novel at the age of 107. In our country, many of Ma Shitu’s works have not been translated or published.
His most widely circulated novel is “Ten Chapters of a Night Story,” which tells of China in the 1920s. The book was adapted into the film Let the Bullets Fly (2010, directed by Jiang Wen).
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Secrets of a writer’s longevity.
Ma Shitu, despite all the difficulties he encountered in his life, had a positive attitude. Contemporaries noted his determination, desire to achieve goals and strength of spirit.
Ma Shitu highlighted five simple principles of lifewho always helped him move forward and accomplish any task efficiently.
1. Strictly observe the daily and sleep schedule. The writer went to bed at nine at night and got up at six in the morning. The day always started with exercise and a good breakfast.
2. Pay attention to the surrounding reality and develop insight.
3. Don’t panic and don’t dwell on your worries.
4. Constantly work mentally, train your memory and your brain.
5. Find friends with whom you have common interests and mutual understanding.
Photo: goalero / istockphoto.com
How are brain function and longevity related?
The secret of Ma Shitu’s longevity lies in his continuous brain activity. Cognitive work can really improve her quality of life. Constant self-development, reading books and writing letters can improve memory properties and even physical health indicators.
business psychologist, clinical psychologist “Doctor Anikina’s Clinic”
“Moderate brain tension is necessary for mental health. It’s like with muscles: to be physically healthy you don’t need to perform sporting feats, but exercising regularly (just 15 minutes a week) will keep your body active for many years. The same thing happens with the brain: tension arises when a person sets tasks that require mental effort to solve.”
Cognitive activity consumes a lot of energy. But for the brain to be in good shape, it needs to work constantly. This is the only way to keep it running.
Motor skills also affect the productive functioning of the brain. For example, writing letters by hand. This process involves neural connections.
Reading is another way to keep the brain active. It allows you to develop logic, thinking and the ability to find solutions to complex problems. Ultimately, it allows a person to slow down in an endless bustle.
Overcoming obstacles and finding solutions to problems is the key to human development. But it is important to set achievable goals so as not to lose your state of resources and your mental balance.
Thus, active participation in learning and achieving goals can be the basis for developing a healthier and longer-lasting life.
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