There is an ancient Chinese saying that the happiness between husband and wife is more desirable than spending life as a god. So says 103-year-old Zhang Zongying when talking about his happy 80-year marriage to his dearest Huang Ouxin, who is one yearyounger.

The centenarian couple live a peaceful and happy life on Chongming Island at the mouth of the Yangtze River in the East China Sea. Chongming Island, one of Shanghai's counties, is considered a good place for people seeking a long life because of its charming local scenery and pleasant weather.

The couple has a large family, with five sons, two daughters, and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. All their descendants pay great filial piety to the elderly couple, and make it possiblefor them to enjoy their later years.

In addition, the local government shows great care for the elders by granting them a stipend every month to buy nutritional food and providing them with free medical care. Local officials also visit them on important holidays.

Elderly residents of Shanghai now live longer, happier, and fuller lives than in the past because they get much more attention from the local government and society in general.

To serve the aging, a comprehensive network has been established in Shanghai covering a variety of areas including medical services, entertainment, and education.

Shanghai is one of the nation's cities facing a serious aging problem. The number of local residents aged 60 and above accounted for 18 percent of the city's population in 1998, and this percentage is expected to rise to 26.58 percent by the year 2030.

Neighboring Zhejiang Province also does well in helping improve living standards for the elderly through a variety of cultural activities such as dances, Karaoke and music contests, calligraphy shows, chess, lectures, and education.