世界最矮男子去世 终年21岁

The world's shortest man, He Pingping, has died at the age of 21, a Guinness World Records spokesman said.

Pingping, who was 29 inches tall, was filming a television programme in Italy when he developed chest problems.

The Chinese-born man, who became a record-holder in March 2008, was taken to hospital in Rome for treatment but passed away on Saturday. It is understood he died of heart complications.

Craig Glenday, Guinness World Records editor-in-chief and the man who measured Pingping in Inner Mongolia to confirm his status as the world's smallest man, paid tribute to him.

He said: "From the moment I laid on eyes on him I knew he was someone special - he had such a cheeky smile and mischievous personality, you couldn't help but be charmed by him.

"He brightened up the lives of everyone he met, and was an inspiration to anyone considered different or unusual."

Pingping, who was born with a form of primordial dwarfism, had been accompanied by his brother-in-law on the trip to Europe to film records show Lo Show Dei Record. His successor will be announced at a later date, Guinness World Records said.

《吉尼斯世界纪录》的一名发言人日前宣布，世界最矮男子何平平近日去世，终年21岁。

身高29英寸（约58厘米）的平平在意大利拍摄一个电视节目期间感到胸部不适。

之后他被送往罗马的医院接受治疗，但因医治无效于上周六去世。据了解他死于心脏病并发症。出生于中国的何平平于2008年3月被认定为世界上最矮的人。

当时，《吉尼斯世界纪录》的总编克雷格．格兰戴前往内蒙古为平平测量身高，认定他为“世界上最矮小的人”。克雷格对他的去世深表惋惜。

他说：“从我第一眼看到他，我就知道他很特别。他面带快乐的微笑，个性调皮，让你不由自主地被他吸引。”

“他点亮了他所遇见的每个人的生活，给予那些被视为‘异类’的人鼓舞。”

不久前，身为侏儒人的平平在姐夫的陪同下前往欧洲录制《纪录秀》节目。《吉尼斯世界纪录》称，平平之后的下一位“世界最矮的人”纪录保持者将于晚些时候公布。

Vocabulary:

cheeky: rude in an amusing or an annoying way 厚脸皮的；鲁莽的；放肆的