Zeng Jinlian (曾金蓮) held the record for the tallest woman in recent history at 8 feet, 1.75 inches (2.48 m). The giantess was born on June 26, 1964, in Nanzui, Yuanjiang, Hunan, and died on February 13, 1982, likely in Changsha. Zeng Jinlian was one of the 20 people whose height was confirmed to be over 8 feet, such as Robert Wadlow, Trijntje Keever, Bernard Coyne, or John Rogan.
Zeng Jinlian’s Life
Zeng was born into a low-income farming family in Yuanjiang, Hunan Province’s northernmost city. Her three brothers (according to some accounts, she had one brother and two sisters) were all of average height, as were her parents, Tseng Hsien-mao and Yu Hsueh-mei, who measured 5 ft 4.2 in (163 cm) and 5 ft 1.4 in (156 cm), respectively.
The pituitary tumor that led to her gigantism disrupted her body’s natural production of growth hormone, just like John Middleton the Giant. When Zeng was 16, her doctors proposed brain surgery, but she repeatedly declined due to her fear of the procedure and her desire to keep her hair.
Rapid Growth
Zeng Jinlian’s rapid development started when she was four months old. She reportedly could carry a 106-pound bag (48 kg) of cement at the age of four, and by five, she was taller than her mother. Zeng reached a height of 7 feet, 7 inches by the time she was 13 years old, making her relatively taller than Robert Wadlow, the tallest person in recorded history.
When she was just 16 years old, Zeng surpassed the height record for women, previously held by 7 feet, 10.9 inches (2.41 m) tall British Jane Bunford (1895–1922). At this time, Zeng measured 7 feet, 10.5 inches (2.40 m), and weighed 324 pounds (147 kg).
Challenges
On an island in the middle of a lake, Jinlian’s family had a lovely commune. Zeng had a passion for athletics and particularly enjoyed playing basketball until scoliosis (curvature of the spine) rendered her physically insufficient.
At first, she could only hunch over with much effort, and eventually she was unable to stand at all and required a wheelchair. Due to her diabetes, Zeng Jinlian was forced to remain at home after graduating high school, where she spent her time reading and studying Chinese calligraphy and poetry.
A Huge Appetite
She preferred a solitary existence in the country and was described as shy and retiring. Zeng slept on a huge bed that had to be manufactured to order, much like her chair, clothing, and shoes.
According to reports, Jinlian started her day with 20 little dumplings and ended it with six bowls of rice. In a year, she would consume 1,100 pounds of rice and vegetables (500 kg). The fish from the nearby lake was her go-to dinner. The local government provided for her needs at a rate of around $670 (USD) each year.
Worldwide Popularity
Jinlian did interviews and became well-known in China for her extraordinary stature. On some days, she had as many as a hundred people come to visit her. The foreign press began reporting on her status as the world’s tallest woman after her introduction in the Chinese health press in October 1980.
Zeng Jinlian passed away at the age of 17 in her hometown from diabetes, which may have been exacerbated by her gigantism and scoliosis. Others believe she passed away from a pituitary tumor hemorrhage. The institution now housing her ashes is Hunan Medical University.
The Tallest Verified Woman Ever
When she passed away, Zeng Jinlian measured 8 feet 1.64 inches (248 cm) in height (249 centimeters in other accounts) and weighed 287 pounds (130 kg). She had 14-inch feet (35.5 cm) and 10-inch hands (25.5 cm).
When Zeng died at the age of 17, she was taller than Wadlow when he was the same age. If Zeng Jinlian hadn’t died too early, she would probably be taller than Wadlow, who died at 22 and was 8 feet, 11.1 inches (272 cm).
Zeng became the tallest living person for a year when the American Don Koehler, who stood 8 feet 2.75 inches (251 cm) died in 1981. After her, the tallest living people became the Mozambican Gabriel Monjane and the American Sandy Allen.
By a wide margin, Zeng is the second-tallest woman in recorded history. It is believed that Trijntje Keever, a Dutch woman who lived in the 17th century, reached a height of 8 feet 6 inches (260 cm). Although this cannot be confirmed using contemporary measuring techniques, there are many varying references (from 8’4″ to 8’6.2″ or 254 to 260 cm), which all point to her extremely tall stature.
But understandably, Zeng Jinlian has been recognized as the tallest woman in history by Guinness World Records instead of Trijntje Keever since the year 2000, eighteen years after her death. Only two women in recorded history—Zeng and Keever—have measured at or over 8 feet (2.43 meters) in height.
