The hit video game “Black Myth: Wukong,” which incorporates traditional Chinese cultural elements into its gameplay, has sparked growing interest in ancient Chinese architecture and cultural heritage among gamers at home and abroad.
This action role-playing game based on Chinese mythology has not only impressed players with its gameplay, but also sparked widespread interest in cultural heritage through its faithful recreations of historical buildings.
“Any creation must have a solid foundation. This game, which relies heavily on China's historical heritage, is especially brilliant because it incorporates cultural relics from Shanxi province,” said Su Dan, deputy director of the Museum of Traditional Culture of China.
The game features 36 iconic landmarks from across China, 27 of which are located in northern China's Shanxi Province. Many of these locations have been faithfully recreated based on real-world scans, including the Yungang Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with over 50,000 stone Buddha statues, and Foguang Temple, the largest and best-preserved surviving wooden building from China's Tang Dynasty (618-907).
“These architecture, murals and hanging sculptures are breathtakingly beautiful. Of particular note are the intricate yet delicate painted carvings. The Jade Emperor Temple's sculptures have exaggerated movements and expressions, bringing to life the characters of the 28 Zodiac signs,” Su explained.
“Simplicity reigns at Bukhang Temple, where vivid sculptures and murals are featured, and the large dougong structures give the entire building a majestic impression. Xiaoxiang Temple is stunningly mystical with its intricate layers of relief, creating a transcendental space within the material world,” he continued.
Many international players said they learned about the Chinese cultural roots of Sun Wukong through the video game.
The game is based on the classic 16th century novel “Journey to the West,” which is currently trending on social media.
The game closely follows the storyline of the novel, telling the story of Sun Wukong, a monkey born from stone, who eventually understands the essence of the Chinese philosophical concept of Tao. The trajectory of the relics in the game closely follows the storyline.
“Through tourism and games, interactions with the ruins become more direct. In these cases, the individual player becomes a participant in this meticulously crafted environment,” Su said.
The craze for “Black Myth: Wukong” has even spilled over from the virtual world into the real one: As of Wednesday, searches in Taiyuan, the capital of Shanxi province, had jumped 10 percent from last week, and overall search volume in Shanxi province in August was up 1.2 times compared to July, according to travel platform Qunar.com.
“Black Myth: Wukong,” which was released on Tuesday, has been met with positive reviews from both Chinese and international gamers.
According to data, the game, which was released at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, had sold more than 4.5 million copies worldwide by 8 p.m. that day, generating revenue of more than 1.5 billion yuan (about US$211 million). On Wednesday night, about 2.36 million concurrent players were playing the game worldwide, the second-best in the platform's history.
Developed by Hangzhou-based Game Science, the video game is currently available on platforms such as Steam, PlayStation 5, Epic Games Store and Tencent WeGame.
Ancient relics shine in hit video game “Black Myth: Wukong”
China recorded above-normal rainfall during the peak of this year's flood season from July 16 to August 15, with northern regions experiencing frequent storms that increased the risk of natural disasters, the National Climate Center said on Friday.
According to data from the center, during the peak flood season in 2024, China's national average rainfall will be 132.5 mm, up 12.8 percent from the same period last year and the fifth highest level since 1961.
Overall, rainfall was heavier in the north and south of China and less in the central region. The northeastern provinces of Liaoning and Jilin recorded their highest rainfall ever for this period.
From 20 July to 15 August, the three northeastern provinces were hit by frequent heavy rains. Most of southern Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces received 200-400 mm of rainfall, while central and eastern Liaoning provinces received more than 400 mm of rainfall, more than 50 percent higher than the average for this period.
The heavy rainfall caused severe flooding in some farmland and flooding in major rivers in the three provinces, including the Mudanjiang, Songhua and Yalu rivers.
Northern China has seen frequent storms this year during peak flood season
