A man who won a BMW car in a lottery in Xi'an City, sold the car and lent the money before starting life as a recluse on a mountain.

Liu Liang, 18, said the car was sold for 300,000 yuan (US$36,000) but his father had lent almost all the money to his relatives.

Liu was now living at the home of a relative in a remote village on Qinling Mountain, the Chengdu Commercial Daily reported Monday.

"I felt relieved and safe here in this mountain village, so I decided to stay." Liu Liang said he could not stand the pressure from media attention.

And, because many strangers had asked his whereabouts, Liu was afraid that he was not safe in his own home.

Liu said the money was being kept by his father.

"I'm too young, so my father is taking care of my prize. He lent 240,000 yuan to my uncle to buy a house."

Liu did not say where the rest of the money went.

Liu's father doubted they would ever get the money back.

No relative left a receipt for the money borrowed. "They are our relatives. It is impolite to require receipts," said Liu's father.

Liu said he would return home in Xi'an City when the annual recruitment for soldiers starts. He wanted to be a soldier, like his elder brother who is serving in the army.

Liu Liang was at the center of a lottery scandal in Xi'an. The exposure of the scandal resulted in the arrest of five people and the removal of several government officials.

(Shenzhen Daily  June 30, 2004)