Over 200 residents of Chengwan village, Ningbo gather to celebrate the 100th birthday of Song Youqing. [Photo/Ningbo Daily] 

In a heartwarming display of community unity, over 200 villagers in Ningbo's Chengwan village gathered to celebrate the 100th birthday of the centenarian Song Youqing on Oct 10.

The festive atmosphere was palpable as Song, dressed in a vibrant red Tang suit, sat at a long table in the courtyard, adorned with a large red flower. Her white hair and rosy cheeks spoke of her good health and vitality, despite her advanced age.

A bamboo basket filled with red envelopes and surrounded by boiled eggs and traditional cakes served as the centerpiece of the celebration. Villagers lined up to place their envelopes into the basket, receiving eggs or cakes in return as a symbol of good fortune. The ritual of "leaving blessings and taking good fortune" created a warm and festive atmosphere, bringing the community closer together.

Song, who still walks with a cane, greeted each guest with a nod of her head and occasionally leaned forward to offer eggs herself. Her presence was a source of inspiration and joy for all who attended.

The celebration was organized by the Qingtai Community as part of festivities for the Double Ninth Festival.

"Song is the only centenarian in the village and is cherished by all," said Dong Chunyan, the community's Party secretary. "We prepared many red envelopes, each containing 1 yuan ($0.14). Our initial intent was not to focus on the monetary value, but rather to bring about a feeling of celebration."

However, Dong was taken aback by the fact that all the villagers attended the celebration, and many even voluntarily added money to the envelopes. Wu Zhaoding, a 77-year-old resident, contributed 100 yuan to a red envelope, stating, "It's only fitting to offer our blessings to a centenarian!"