Myth and life

Lyu did not start creating large paintings until June. Before that, he was into caricatured portraits, which are included in his book Order: The Story of Fangyuan Bookshop. In 2016, the book won the gold medal for Best Book Design at an annual book design competition, Best Books From All Over the World, in Leipzig, Germany.

He has drawn one picture per day since June, and in December, an exhibition of his paintings was held at the Wanbook Store in Xi'an. The humor in the pictures attracted many visitors.

Wu Wenli, the deputy director of the Research Center of Literature and Art Creation in Xi'an, says Lyu's works are both idealistic and romantic.

"He represents his feelings and life freely. Seeing these paintings, I believe there's nothing he can't depict. He has the spirit of the ancient Chinese literati. Although he is stuck at the crowded bookshop and his life is full of trivia, his mind is unconstrained. I like the lightheartedness and freedom in his works," Wu says.

Chang Chun, an assistant professor of calligraphy at the Xi'an Academy of Fine Arts, says Lyu lives a rich spiritual life.

At the December exhibition, Lyu also sold his paintings at prices ranging from 500 yuan ($79) to 3,000.

"Due to the bleak book business, I have the time to paint, which is both good and bad. Selling paintings may be a way to save my bookshop," Lyu adds.