Ye Luying's illustration of An Ode to the Goddess of Luo. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

"To understand this prose is to feel melancholy, not depression. I think 1,000 readers will lead to 1,000 Goddesses of Luo. My work only offers one way to appreciate this classical story."

The picture book about An Ode to the Goddess of Luo will come out next year. "I am very excited about it," Ye said. "I hope 10 years later I can make some achievements as an illustrator by interpreting traditional Chinese art in a modern way. I will always pursue breakthroughs in the future."