He began writing novels when as a college student, and graduated from the Chinese Department of Yan'an University in 1973. After graduation, he became an editor of Yanhe magazine. In 1982, Lu Yao published his novella "Life", which was made into a film in 1984. It was at this time that he started to become well known across China. In 1991, Lu Yao finished his most famous work, Ordinary World,[1] which won the Mao Dun Literature Prize.[2] His writing was closely related to his own life and experiences, and focused mostly on young people from his native Shaanbei striving to change their lives.