A husband and wife from southern China's Hunan Province who are both centenarians were honored on Monday as their province's only "century couple".

The celebrations coincided with the 100th birthday of villager, Peng Shizhen. Her husband, Jia Yanfang, celebrated his 102nd birthday in February, Hunan's website rednet.cn reported.

Pang Shizhen and her husband, Jia Yanfang, are the only couple in Hunan province who are both over 100-years-old.

The healthy couple enjoys a high reputation for their longevity among local villagers in Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture, Hunan province.

Local officials in the Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture joined the couple's centennial birthday celebrations and conferred a certificate of centennial elders to them.

The couple were born to poor families in rural village and led a simple life over the past century.

Their big family now spans four generations, including their two sons and four daughters, 29 grandsons and great-grandsons.

When asked about the secret of their long life, their sons said fresh air, natural mountain spring water, their diligent lifestyle and mild tempers ensured they spent a century together.

The photo of the whole big family of the "century couple" taken on the birthday of Peng Shizhen in Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture on Monday, June 25.

The family celebrates the 100th birthday of their great-grandmother, Pang Shizhen, on Monday, June 25.

(CRIENGLISH.com June 28, 2007)