His birth year has been reported as 1850, 1855 and 1857.
No reason, however, was given as to the change of birth years.
There is another report giving his birth year as 1945.
Recently most Chinese media have used 1977 as his birth year.
However, there is another report, giving his birth year as 1960.
Some sources give his birth year as 1784, but others consider 1790 more likely.
Sometimes he gave his birth year as 1910; other times, 1923.
However, the birth year was out by a hundred years: 1989 instead of 1889.
The birth year given above, 1945, is based on these two statements.
Girl's actual birth year was changed from 1936 to 1937.