(Photo/Weibo)

Ye Luying, an illustrator from eastern China’s Zhejiang province has reworked the prestigious Chinese literature An Ode to the Goddess of Luo, or “Luoshenfu,” which narrates the authors’ encounter with a water nymph, creating a dreamland for readers one thousand years later.

The story is about author Cao Zhi from the Wei Dynasty (220-265) and his admiration for a water goddess. In his narratives, Cao used flowery language to describe this beautiful fair and their sincere love.

This romantic story has inspired and resonated with thousands of artists in China for one thousand years.

The literature expresses the author’s sorrow and loneliness when he found it difficult to realize his pursuit, Ye said, adding that she shared a similar experience after finishing her exchange study in Norway.

“Everything changed when I returned to China. I was confused about my future,” Ye told Guangming Online.

To bring this fairytale to life, Ye threw herself into its creation and introduced traditional elements such as murals and patterns into the painting. She combines traditional skills and modern techniques to create a more energetic girl from the fantasy.

Her efforts paid off. After it was published, it won many prizes, including the best illustration award at the 13th Golden Dragon Award for Chinese Animation held in 2016.

Ye said she is willing to share the beauty and affection of more traditional Chinese culture with her audiences and wants to take it to an international platform.