Career
Lü took the courtesy name Chéngzhī (诚之) and wrote under the pseudonym Núniú (驽牛). His students included famous historians Ch"ien Mu and Yang Kuan. Historian Yan Gengwang (严耕望) considered Lü one of the four greatest modern Chinese historians, along with his student Ch"ien Mu, Chen Yuan, and Chen Yinke.
Lü remained at the school, which later became part of East China Normal University, until his death.
Lü was born in Wujin (now Wujin district of Changzhou city) in China"s Jiangsu province. At the age of 15 he entered the county school.
In the second year he began teaching himself history. His former residence in Changzhou is a protected property open to the public, offering numerous artifacts from his life displayed in the restored building.