78-year-old makes lamp out of scraps
Yu Wenxiu and his lamp (Photo credit: Shenyang Evening News

(BEIJING, February 20) -- A 78-year-old resident spent 12 years making a lamp out of a variety of pop cans, bottle caps and colorful wrappers as part of a personal endeavor to welcome the Beijing Olympic Games.

Yu Wenxiu started making the lamp, 170 cm in length and 110 cm in diameter, in 1996. He had to look after his diseased wife at that time, but would concentrate his mind on making the lamp whenever he had some free time.

Since his childhood, Yu is fascinated by painting and calligraphy. He began learning the Chinese flower-and-bird painting at the Liaoning University for Veteran Cadres in 2004.

"Although I'm getting old, I have lots of hobbies," he said.

"At the beginning, the lamp only featured 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. Every year, I spent time making it look more beautiful. To greet the Olympic Games, I added pictures of Fuwa and Chinese athletes to the lamp."

"This year is the Year of the Rat. Therefore I have drawn a golden rat on the lamp."

The 78-year-old said: "The pictures on the lamp are imbued with my best wishes for a prosperous country and successful Olympic Games."

"If the lamp draws someone's attention, it can be on display for free," he said.