ETERNAL FLAME

During a visit to Chongqing, tech tycoon Bryan Johnson opened up to Tatler about his quest to live forever

- Fan Li and Weber Wei

Before Don't Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever, the 2025 Netflix documentary that gave us a glimpse into his extraordinary and at times controversial quest to defy ageing, Bryan Johnson was already known for venture capital work and involvement in science and tech firms.

The billionaire has embarked on a personal project called Blueprint, which he says preserves and improves his body and mind. He spends about US$2 million annually on various anti-ageing treatments, including blood plasma donations, shockwave therapy, stem cell injections, hormone replacement therapy and more than 100 daily supplements.

At the beginning of this year, on a visit to the southwest Chinese city of Chongqing, Johnson sat down with Tatler to share his journey-how it all began, his experience building and selling million-dollar firms and how he has used his wealth to fund research and experiments that he claims will revolutionise ageing.

Tell us about what inspired your a dedication to anti-ageing and longevity.

From the ages of 19 to 21, I had a major turning point in my life. During that time, I moved from the US to Ecuador, and for the first time, I came face-to-face with the harsh realities of life.

In the US, my family wasn't wealthy but our basic needs were met-we had food when we were hungry and we could go to the hospital when we were sick. In Ecuador, everything was different. I saw extreme poverty first-hand-many people lacked even the most basic necessities. This stark contrast shocked me deeply and made me reflect on what my life meant. I had an epiphany: I wanted to dedicate my life to improving others' lives.

To achieve this, I made a plan. First, I would build a business and accumulate wealth. Then, when I turned 30, I would re-evaluate the world's possibilities and take concrete action.