A centenarian practicing martial arts with a sword in a courtyard attracted large crowd in Gulou district in Kaifeng, Central China's Henan province.

Sun Xiang, 102, said he was 20 when he learned the martial arts in Kaifeng from his master, Sun Ming, a team leader of Feng Yuxiang, who was a legendary general of Kuomintang government.

Zhao Guifang, 68, Sun's daughter-in-law, revealed the hard time her father-in-law faced to learn the martial arts.

"During those years, he worked in the fields in the daytime and practiced the martial arts with his friends in the evening. It's difficult to remember how many pair of shoes he worn out," Zhao said.

When asked the secret of of his long life, Sun laughed and waved off the answer.

Basking in the yard, the centenarian looked very happy.

"He speaks less and less as he grows older," Zhao said. "He is optimistic, he likes to work in the field and talk with the people. He could sell vegetables all by himself when his was nearly 90."

Sun was not a picky eater; his favorite food is Kaifeng baozi, a steamed stuffed bun in his hometown.