Qiu Chaishi, a resident of Chaishici village in Nanbu county, Nanchong, Sichuan province, celebrated her 124th birthday on Wednesday.

Born on Jan 1, 1901, Qiu is among the 960 centenarians living in Nanchong.

Fellow villagers held a grand birthday party for her on Tuesday. They prepared a large cake and sang her the birthday song. She joked that the gods had forgotten her.

Qiu's husband passed away when she was in her 40s, and she has outlived her two sons, who died in her 70s and 100s.

Qiu now lives with her 60-year-old granddaughter, Qiu Taohua, in a three-story building.

"My grandma never complains about her fate. She may remain silent for a while after a stroke of misfortune, but then she continues to face life with a smile," said Qiu Taohua.

Despite her declining eyesight and hearing, Qiu remains in good physical health.

She eats three daily meals at regular times, often taking a walk in the yard or on the road after, and goes to bed around 8 pm every night.

When it comes to diet, Qiu has a special fondness for lard. Despite doctors' advice to eat less animal fat, her love for lard has never changed.