🌿 Folk Prescriptions

Fang Cheng, originally named Sun Shunchao, is from Zhongshan, Guangdong Province, born in 1918. Former Honorary President of the China Association of News Cartoonists. He graduated from the Department of Chemistry at Wuhan University. Previously served as Assistant Researcher at Huanghai Chemical Industry Research Society; Editor-in-Chief of the cartoon section and special contributor to *Observation Weekly* in Shanghai; Senior Editor at *People’s Daily*, retired in 1986.
In the compound of *People’s Daily*, there are several thousand editors and reporters. Among them, the healthiest and longest-lived is probably the 87-year-old cartoon master Fang Cheng.
Simple Living in Eating, Housing, and Travel
Fang Cheng’s philosophy of life is going with the flow. This is first reflected in his lifestyle. Recently, he was hospitalized due to bladder tumor (later confirmed benign), which worried many. Yet he remained unfazed. On the second day post-surgery, we visited him and found him cheerful, chatting with nurses. At that time, he didn’t even know whether his tumor was malignant or benign. Within days after surgery, he insisted on leaving the hospital. The next day, he traveled from Dongcheng to Xicheng to attend a seminar. Others advised him to rest, but he laughed: "Nothing much." That’s Fang Cheng.
Fang Cheng’s diet is distinctive. Once, during late autumn and early winter, a sudden north wind blew. I visited him. It was near noon, and he invited me to lunch. The meal was simple but nutritionally rich: mutton stewed with large radish, plus sesame flatbread. He said he always prepares a large pot, enough to last several days.
For decades, his home has been modest. Only after turning 80 did he move into a spacious 160-square-meter apartment—four rooms, two bathrooms, two living areas—which he happily referred to as a "five-star hotel."
Fang Cheng’s mode of transportation is even more distinctive. For decades, he has ridden a bicycle. Once, when he was nearly 80, my colleague cartoonist Zhu Genhua and I accompanied him to the People’s Theater to watch a play. We both rode bicycles. Despite being in our fifties and him in his sixties, neither of us could keep pace with him. From behind, he looked like a young man. Fang Cheng deeply cherished his decades-old bicycle. He once drew a famous self-portrait with this "ride" as background. Last year, a friend gifted him a high-end bicycle, replacing his old one. But for a long time afterward, he often missed his old "friend."
Published Over 40 Books After Retirement
In summer 2003, at age over 85, Fang Cheng wrote a "Three-and-a-Half-Line Poem" vividly depicting his daily life: "Life has always been ordinary—riding bikes, drawing cartoons, writing articles. Health preservation relies on one word: busy."
Fang Cheng’s "busy" involves both mind and body. Since retiring in 1986, nearly 20 years later, he has published over 40 books. His habit of diligent thinking and action began in youth. Those familiar with him know he became a cartoonist through self-study, never attending art school. His career success stemmed from relentless practice. After liberation, he began creating political satire cartoons, thanks to collaboration with Zhong Ling. They would study and copy endlessly, sometimes working through the night. Often, at midnight, an editor would call requesting a cartoon to accompany an article. Fang Cheng would immediately get up, read the article, brainstorm ideas, and deliver the finished piece to the editor. This work ethic has followed him to this day.
Enjoy Riding Bicycles, Dislike Idle Gossip
Fang Cheng has always loved physical activity and various sports. His main fitness method is walking and cycling. Recently, he often arrives early at the newspaper office basketball court to practice tai chi with old friends. In short, everything in Fang Cheng’s life is natural and effortless.
“Cultivating the heart” is also Fang Cheng’s health preservation strategy. When encountering unpleasant events, he remains calm and never gets angry. He once inscribed a poem on a portrait of sculptor Liu Kaiqu: "Seventy is rare in ancient times; Master Liu is now eighty-seven. Ask him how he lives so long—by refusing to compete with ordinary people." This transcendent mindset makes him appear over twenty years younger than his actual age. After age 80, Fang Cheng developed hearing loss, but instead of feeling discouraged, he often joked: "Not hearing idle gossip is also a form of enjoyment."