Lü Houmin, a photographer who once served as the staff photographer for the late Chairman Mao Zedong, passed away of cancer at the age of 87 on March 9. Lü's funeral was held on Sunday, and Mao's grandson Mao Xinyu, and hundreds of photographers and artists attended the ceremony, the Beijing News reported.

From 1961 to 1964, Lü worked as Mao's staff photographer, the longest a staff photographer has ever served the former leader. Mao described Lü as "short and hardworking," and in Lü's memory, Mao did not like to pose for pictures and never restricted Lü on what photos he could and could not take.