A study in Bama County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, has found that singing a tune which expresses your feelings is conducive to longevity.

Bama County, situated in northwestern Guangxi, has a population of 220,000, including 74 centenarians. Back in 1960, there were 18.6 centenarians in every 100,000 residents of Bama, which was listed by the International Society of Natural Medicine as the world's fifth longest living population in November 1991.

Chen Jinchao, a member of the International Society of Natural Medicine and head of Bama County Institute of Longevity, said a bowl of maize porridge, a plate of bean curd and a cup of maize liquor garnished with a song every day was their menu for longevity.

Wei Suwen, an associate research fellow and chairman of GuangxiZhuang Autonomous Regional Association of Folk Literature Writers and Artists, said the study found that like other people of different ages, centenarians in Bama all loved to sing songs.

Out of 135 influential amateur singers in Bama, two are centenarians, and 44 are over the age of 71.

The average life expectancy in China is 71 years, while the world average stands at 65.

Huang Meigen and Huang Meinian, two sisters who are 105 and 103years old respectively, have kept singing since they were little girls.

"I feel great and happy to sing songs of the past," said elder sister Huang Meigen, with her eyes glittering. Though both Meigen and her younger sister Meinian have hunched backs and Meinian has difficulty hearing, they believe singing keeps them in a state of merriment so that they are still capable of doing household chores.

Their songs are mostly about labor, love and nature. "The centenarians nowadays still use the songs to express their state of mind in labor and life," said Wei Suwen.

"Contests are a dominant feature of singing for local residents here and participants must rely on a broad knowledge, quick wits and impromptu song composing skills, blending entertainment with competition," Wei went on.

"By singing, your brain will be active and you can keep a healthy state of the mind."

A film named "Third Sister Liu" was shot to depict the singing contests popular in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The film tells the story of a village girl, "Third Sister Liu", who could sing like a lark.

Luo Hantian, an associate research fellow with the institute of ethnic minorities literature under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, believes singing enhances life for residents of Bama because they sing at almost every occasion, including protocol songs for special functions such as weddings, funerals and meetings.

"While resting or doing household chores, I like to sing songs to express my state of the mind everyday," said 112-year-old Huang Puhan. "I can now listen to different songs from TV and radio, but still I like singing our own songs."

Centenarians of Bama mainly live in the valley of the Panyang River. Jiazhuan township in the Panyang River Valley hosts a traditional singing fair once a week, attracting more than 1,000 people in the busy farming season and over 10,000 during the slack season.

Singer Huang Yanlu, aged 75, said: "I have been competing at the singing fair since I was a lad of 20. Just like playing (Chinese) chess, you must use your mind in the singing contest in order to get an edge and you get so excited in the midst of cheers and applause from the audience standing on the grassland along the clean river."

Researcher Chen Jinchao, who has spent years studying the factors leading to longevity in Bama, concludes that singing, which has remained a unique way of social life here, heredity, environment and dietary habits are the main factors contributing to longevity in the population of Bama.

(Xinhua News Agency May 31, 2002)