Village official Liu Jiao said, "Many children in the village love to visit Sun and listen to his stories." She said elderly man has earned respect from the whole village. People call him "Teacher Sun" and children call him "great-grandfather".

Sun Ziyu said her father also writes poems and prose in his spare time and enjoys reading his works to the family. She said under her father's influence, family members take the time to read together and exchange views. That's their favorite part, she said.

"My father has loved reading for a lifetime," Sun Ziyu said. "Reading is his meat and drink."