BIOGRAPHY

Yu Te-Hsin was born in Hailun, Heilongjiang, China (then Republic of China), on 17 March 1915. Before he was a month old, his mother passed away, and he was raised by a devoted aunt and great-grandfather. He grew up in a large family where over 130 relatives gathered for meals. The elders were deeply immersed in Buddhism and Taoism, and from a young age, he was exposed to temple rituals, frequently taking part in offerings and worship. One elder in the family, a respected former high school principal, once interrupted a discussion, knelt in the courtyard, and murmured toward the sky. When asked, he calmly replied, “I was receiving a divine presence,” claiming to perceive celestial beings. Inspired by such mystical events, Yu longed for similar spiritual insight. He adopted a strict vegetarian diet and dedicated himself to meditation. By the age of 25, he claimed to have reached an advanced level of spiritual cultivation—able to completely shut out all external distractions. He took great pride in his discipline, believing he had achieved true enlightenment.

As an adult, he traveled extensively across China, from the northeast to the southern regions. In 1949, as the political situation shifted, he arranged for his family to move to Taichung, Taiwan, where they took refuge with his uncle, a member of the National Assembly. He remained behind until the last moment before evacuating Shanghai with the Nationalist Army on a landing craft. His journey first took him to the Zhoushan Archipelago before he continued to Zuoying District in Kaohsiung. After reuniting with his family in Taichung, he soon found work in the military, serving at the Combined Logistics Command’s main warehouse in Kaohsiung.

Despite his upbringing, he eventually converted to Christianity. His wife was the first in the family to be baptized at the Taichung church. After her conversion, many Christians frequently visited their home to share the gospel with him. At first, he avoided them, but over time, he became more open to listening. Eventually, he prayed, “Lord, if You are real, please reveal Yourself to me.” According to him, the Lord answered his prayer. He claimed to have seen visions, including one night at midnight when a red light shone through his window, and he felt unseen hands pulling him from both sides. Following the advice of church members, he prayed for several days and gradually experienced a deep sense of peace. Soon after, at the age of 40, he accepted Christianity and was baptized.

In the early 1960s, after witnessing the success of Taiwan’s first taxi company, he was inspired to start a similar business. By then, he had retired from the military and was teaching at Mingtai Senior High School in Wufeng (Taichung City), where he was recognized as an outstanding teacher. Persuaded by two friends, he decided to invest in the venture. Securing an exclusive business license was difficult, but they sought help from an influential figure who promised success. Confident, they proceeded, but when news of their permit leaked, powerful businessmen showed interest, offering to buy them out. They refused, seeing it as a rare opportunity. However, their competitors triggered a political and business upheaval, leading the government to change its policy and open the taxi industry to all applicants. Just days before the official announcement, they learned their license would soon be worthless. The businessmen who had previously made offers now declined, having secured their own licenses.

From 1960 to 1975, he taught Chinese at Mingtai Senior High School in Taichung City, where he also served as the Director of Academic Affairs and Discipline. In 2020, it was reported that every year on Teachers’ Day, the school’s alumni would reunite and share a dinner with him.

After returning to church life, he dedicated himself to serving the congregation in Wufeng, forming a close-knit team with two faithful church members. In 1975, he moved with his family to Taiping to support the gospel outreach among students. At the age of 100, in 2015, he was honored by the Taichung City Government.

On 14 May 2020, at the age of 106, his family took him to Humtou Mountain in Puli Township for a paragliding adventure. Despite his age, he remained in excellent health and had a strong passion for trying new experiences. When he expressed his desire to go paragliding, his granddaughters made all the necessary arrangements. Before he could take off, a trainer assessed and confirmed the flight conditions. With the wind in his favor, Yu, accompanied by his coach, leaped into the air, soaring to a height of 780 meters. He even brought a selfie stick to capture his first-ever paragliding experience. On 18 November 2020, his achievement was officially recognized by the Guinness World Records.

RECOGNITION

Yu Te-Hsin may be the oldest man to have ever lived in Taiwan.

ATTRIBUTION

* “Centenarian grandfather from Taichung breaks paragliding record” – Taipei Times, 27 May 2020

* “Exclusive: 106-year-old teacher can pray for students for more than 1 and a half minutes” – 聯合影音, 29 September 2020

* “105-year-old man becomes the oldest person to paraglide tandem” – Guinness World Records, 18 November 2020

* “百岁人瑞见证真神” – stmn1.com

GALLERY