Bao Xishun: World's Tallest Man
Recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s tallest man, Bao Xishun stands at a whopping 7 feet, 8.95 inches. He tells June Ng about the view from up there.
HK Magazine: Have you always been tall?
Bao Xishun: I was always taller than other children my age, but when I turned 16 I started growing even taller, reaching almost 8 feet by the time I was 23. I can’t really explain it; my parents are both around 5½ feet tall and my siblings are of average height too. At first, everyone thought that I had a tumor or something, but it turns out, there’s nothing wrong with me.
HK: What are the positive and negative aspects of being so tall?
BX: No matter what, it’s a blessing to be tall. It got me into the Guinness Book of Records, and I had a great time in the PLA basketball team. Unfortunately I had to quit basketball when I got rheumatism in the knees, probably because I always slept outdoors as a child. But there are disadvantages, too. It’s extremely inconvenient when I’m going out or traveling. It’s difficult to get into cars, and the beds in hotels are always too small. In my own house, I have an 8-foot-10 door so I can get in and out easier.
HK: What about your personal life?
BX: There was a difficult period when I was first adjusting to being so much taller than everyone else. Because I looked different, I felt inferior and believed that everyone must think I’m sick, like I had a tumor or something that caused such rapid growth. I never found it difficult to make friends—despite my size, I never bullied people—but it was still hard to find a girlfriend.
HK: Is that why you publicized that you were searching for a bride in Chinese newspapers?
BX: I never dared to date anyone because I used to consider myself abnormal, but I had a full body check in my 40s, and the doctors concluded that I was perfectly fine. I decided to have a normal person’s life, get married and raise a family. That’s why I started searching for a wife. About 12 people were interested in marrying me, which I think is quite a good turnout. I got married in 2007.
HK: Is your son bigger than average children?
BX: Yes! He was born in October. He’s only 3 months old but he’s about the size of a 1-year-old.
HK: You made international headlines when you saved the lives of two dolphins. How did that feel?
BX: It felt good. I was summoned by the marine park. They asked me to use my long arms to reach into the dolphins and remove some plastic shards from their stomachs. My arms are 3-foot-6 long. They bit me though, which hurt a little.
