The herdsman, Xi Shun received the certificate from Steward Newbert, an officer of Guinness Book of World Records Thursday.

He measures a whopping 7 foot 8.95 inch (2 meters 36.1 centimeters), taller than Radhouane Charbib who, for the last six years, has held the title of world's tallest living man.

Xi Shun, who was born in 1951, was measured in a strict meterage conducted by Chifeng City Hospital which got the commission from the Chinese agency of the Guinness headquarters in England.

The measure was carried out six times on 15 and 16 January, 2005, including morning, noon and evening tests when he stood and lay three times respectively. The height was finalized through averaging these six measurements.

Unlike most giants, the 54-year old Mongol, who has been living on a pastureland near Chifeng City since his childhood, has grown to this remarkable height naturally, and not as a result of a medical condition. His growth was normal until the age of 16, after which an inexplicable growth spurt saw his reach his record height in just seven years.

According to the survey issued by the attached hospital of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Medical School, the herdsman is normal and healthy, without any diseases including gigantism.

Xi Shun has received the invitation sent by the Guinness headquarters to participate the annual Guinness Pageant on September 21 this year in London, said Tang Risong, director of the Chinese Applying Centre of the Guinness Book of World Records.

(Source: Xinhua)