As of early September, tourist arrivals at Sayram Lake this year had reached 6.37 million, according to local authorities.

In Bayandai village, Ili Kazak autonomous prefecture, the Wang Meng Library was built in 2013 to honor the renowned writer who lived in the town for six years.

With more than 20,000 books, it has become the heart of local tourism. Last year, over 100 activities including reading salons and poetry recitations were held there.

Ma Yan, a local resident, said she and her husband decided to turn an idle house into a homestay as more visitors arrived.

"Especially in recent years, tourism has really boomed. Many travelers who come for the Wang Meng Library or his former residence stay in our guesthouse," she said, adding that the eight rooms of their homestay can bring the family an annual income ranging from 100,000 to 200,000 yuan.

In summer, a teacher from Shanghai brought three students to Xinjiang for a study tour after reading Wang Meng's In Ili, a series of works that Wang wrote between 1983 and 1984 based on his life experiences.

They not only visited the library but also joined local children at Ma's homestay for a reading. "The children read the book together, shared stories and built friendships," Ma said.

The village has nearly 20 such homestays, greatly contributing to a collective income of 2.4 million yuan last year, according to village officials.