Wu Xuegui and his family library. [Photo by Nanyang Daily]

Wu Xuegui, a retiree in Nanyang, has set up a family library of more than 20,000 books.

"The family library not only provides convenience for those who love reading, but also enriches their retired life and leaves a valuable spiritual wealth for the next generations," said Wu.

In order to collect more books, Wu emptied his living room and built bookshelves in it, placing books on them in different categories.

Wu has been searching and buying books everywhere over the years. He traveled to the book markets and libraries in all districts and counties to recycle out-of-print books. Wu’s relatives and friends have also been called on to donate books.

Wu has spent more than 200,000 yuan ($28,520) on books in the past nine years. His family library has now begun to take shape, and more and more visitors and learners are finding their way to it.