Journey with a fairy-tale ending

In 1963, writer Wang Meng, then 29, left Beijing for the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, in order to escape the political storm in the capital.

At that time, just before the "cultural revolution" (1966-76), he was already being criticized as a rightist due to his writings.

"It was the right choice. I benefited tremendously from my 16-year stay in the Ili Kazak autonomous prefecture. I am grateful to Xinjiang," he says.