A stone statue of Tongjun Old Man.[Photo/Publicity Department of Tonglu County Party Committee]

Moreover, the area has a profound Chinese medicine culture. Tongjun Old Man, the originator of traditional Chinese medicine in ancient times, first collected medicines and cured diseases in Tonglu over 4,000 years ago, leading Zhejiang province to add Tongjun Traditional Chinese Medicine Culture to its list of intangible cultural heritage. The county, which grows 1.6 million hectares of Chinese medicinal plants, has earned distinction as a healthcare base and national demonstration zone for traditional Chinese medicine.

Zhou Haijing, standing committee member of the CPC Tonglu County Committee and executive vice county mayor of Tonglu, said the average life expectancy for people in Tonglu is 82.3 years of age, which exceeds the national average by 5.9 years, making it a hometown of longevity in China.