Author's hometown draws tourists

J.M. Coetzee (left), Nobel laureate in literature in 2003, Chinese writer Mo Yan (center) and Chinese translator Li Yao talk on Tuesday at the Second China-Australia Literary Forum held in Beijing. Feng Yongbin / China Daily

Tourists swarmed to the hometown of Mo Yan, winner of the 2012 Nobel Prize for Literature, over the holidays seeking inspiration from the famous author.

Hundreds of tourists visited a village in Gaomi in east China's Shandong province during the recent tomb-sweeping holiday to visit the former residence of Mo Yan, who was born and raised in the village and became the first winner of the Nobel prize in literature who was born and is currently living in China, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The report said some tourists even dug bricks and dried mud from Mo's house to take as souvenirs.

Guan Moxin, Mo's brother who still lives in Gaomi, helped show tourists the author's old home.

He told Xinhua news agency waves of tourists have been visiting the town ever since his brother received the prize.

Mo has previously said the sudden publicity has placed a lot of pressure on him and his family.

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