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.

In 1926 Lü was invited to teach at Kwang Hua University by his friend and the school's headmaster Qián Jībó (钱基博).

Lü remained at the school, which later became part of East China Normal University, until his death.

His former residence in Changzhou is a protected property open to the public, offering numerous artifacts from his life displayed in the restored building.