The book contains a wealth of invaluable documents, including photographs, the artist’s notes, manuscripts, and works, providing an in-depth view of Mao Xuhui's artistic journey.
Professor Lü states in the book: “I did not intend to write a glorified history of the artist, but rather to document and introduce the various issues faced and expressed by a young man born in the 1950s who had a passion for art.” He continues: "Society does not have the means to examine every individual, but it allows people to understand and connect with the past through the life of one person. By understanding the experiences of a generation in the same era, perhaps one can discover a more universal spirit of the soul from that specific historical period, and thus come to understand the artistic spirit and attitude toward life that emerged from it."