The late Chinese author, Lu Yao, was known as the “pioneer of reform.” In 1991, Lu completed his most famous work, "Ordinary World," which won the Mao Dun Literature Prize, one of the most prestigious literary awards in China. 

His writing focused mostly on young people from his hometown Shaanbei striving to change their lives, a theme that has resonated with Chinese ever since. 

Wang Weiguo, better known by his pen name Lu Yao, was born on December 3, 1949 in Qingjian County, Shaanxi Province in the middle of China.

Lu grew up in a very poor family, but poverty did nothing to hamper his thirst for knowledge and love of literature. He began creative writing in high school and started writing novels when he was a college student. In 1982, he published his 130,000-word novella "Life," which he completed in just 21 days. "Life" gained widespread popularity and was made into a film in 1984. It was "Life" that won him fame throughout China.

It's about a young man living in a county who dreams of working in the big city and making a better life. But in the end, he is forced to return home due to his inner conflict, self-doubt and culture shock from the different lifestyles between rural and urban life. 

As China carried out its process of urbanization, Lu was the one who asked: Where should young people living in rural areas go?

“What I experienced from reading 'Life' was a kind of spiritual conflict. A conflict that had never happened before 'Life'. Serious conflict,” says writer Chen Zhongshi. 

“For me, Lu Yao gave me the first initiation of spirit, the spirit of suspicion. The reflections on life from his novel helped a reckless young boy living in a county to develop the ability to reason,” says movie director Jia Zhangke.

"Life" made Lu Yao famous nationwide, and this renown turned out to be a driving force pushing him forward. After "Life," Lu started work on a book reflecting on the tremendous changes in China's urban and rural society from 1975 to 1985. 

Instead of working behind closed doors, Lu Yao traveled across the country from 1982 to 1984. He experienced life as a miner, at one point lifting 100 kilos of rock together with a quarry worker in a stone pit. He made every effort to find the right protagonist for his new book.

Then, the hard work began. It would take him six years to complete his million-word masterpiece: "Ordinary World."

“Once he started writing, there were no days or nights at all. He had to write 5,000 words per day. After finishing 5,000 words, he marked it on the wall. A few days later, those marks on the wall told him how many words he had completed,” says writer Gao Jianjun.

"Ordinary World" was published in December of 1986. In 1988, his text which tells the history of ordinary people's struggles was broadcast on the Central People's Broadcasting Station. In 1991, "Ordinary World" beat over 700 works to win the Mao Dun Literature Prize. But just one year after receiving the award, Lu Yao passed away due to the severe physical toll the work took on him. 

More than three decades after its publication, "Ordinary World" continues to see strong sales.

Lu Yao once wrote, “You can keep going because your writing is not just for the literary world, or for the critics, but directly for the readers. As long as the readers do not abandon you, it proves that you can exist.”