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

The world's smallest man, He Pingping, pictured with the woman with the longest legs in the world, Svetlana Pankratova.

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（去世，逝世） on Saturday. It is understood he died of heart complications（并发症） .

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（称赞，歌颂） him.

He said: "From the moment I laid on eyes on him I knew he was someone special - he had such a cheeky（无耻的，厚脸皮的） smile and mischievous¹（淘气的） 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 primordial²（原始的） dwarfism（侏儒症） , 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.