Alimihan Seyiti (阿丽米罕•色依提), who was recently recognized as the oldest person in China at 127 by the Geriatric Society of China, sits in her room in Kashi, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Photo: xjdail.com

A 127-year-old woman in Kashi, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region could be the oldest person in the world, beating the official world record by five years, reports the local news portal xjdaily.com on August 12.

Shule county resident Alimihan Seyiti was born on June 25, 1886, according to her identity papers, placing her birth during the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). 

Seyiti was honored as China's oldest supercentenarian in June by the Geriatric Society of China (GSC) following the death of Luo Meizhen in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, who was born in 1885.

According to Guinness World Records, the oldest verified person to have ever lived was Jeanne Calment from France, who lived to be 122.

Seyiti looks surprisingly youthful, yet explains her only beauty secret is "washing her face". Relatives say she was considered the village's most eligible bachelorette when she was married at 17.

"Back then I had quite a few suitors," she said. 

Though she never had children of her own, she adopted a daughter and son, the latter of which has passed away from illness. She now lives with her adopted daughter and enjoys the company of nearly 40 grand and great-grandchildren. 

"My favorite is my 15-year-old great-grandson. He comes to visit me every week," she said.

Seyiti prides herself on being able to shop at the local bazaar and visit friends without help. She also enjoys telling jokes and singing traditional Uyghur love songs.

"I listened to them growing up all my life," said daughter Tajigul. "She knows so many I can't even remember them all."     

 Wang Feng, deputy director of the GSC, claims there are a total 8 centenarians in Shule county, which has a population of just below 300,000. 

"We will nominate Shule county as a Chinese longevity cluster this October when China's top-ten oldest people will be announced," said Wang.

While there are many similar longevity claims in the world, a supercentenarian such as Seyiti is considered verified only if the claim has been validated by recognized international institutions such as the Gerontology Research Group or Guinness World Records.

Currently the oldest living person on Earth is Japanese woman Misao Okawa, who is now 115 years old, according to Guinness.