Black Myth Success: Wukong Drives Surge in Tourist Visits to Province

On August 20, the highly anticipated Black Myth: Wukong, a AAA game developed by the Chinese themselves, made its domestic and global debut, immediately becoming a hit in the industry.

The game has also sparked interest in Chinese culture, as it is deeply rooted in Chinese mythology and inspired by the legends of the Monkey King – or Sun Wukong – in Journey to the West, a classic Chinese novel that has been depicted in numerous films, TV shows and cartoons.

Black Myth: Wukong is a sequel or recreation of the novel. In the game, players control a young monkey who, inspired by the legend, decides to follow in Wukong’s footsteps to the West, overcoming various difficulties and trials, and ultimately succeeding, depending on the players’ actions.

Another distinctive feature of the game is that its art design is inspired by ancient Chinese architecture and other traditional cultural elements.

This cultural feature of the game has generated additional benefits outside the gaming industry, sparking fervent enthusiasm among netizens to experience the Chinese cultural heritage presented in the game. Thus, according to Chinese media reports, this has generated a new tour option – following in Wukong’s footsteps to see Chinese cultural attractions.

Shanxi is undoubtedly one of the biggest beneficiaries of this boom in cultural tourism, as the northern Chinese province has the largest number of locations where the game is set.

Among the 36 scenic spots featured in the game, 27 are located in Shanxi, according to Shanxi culture and tourism officials.

The iconic sites of ancient buildings in Shanxi, such as Foguang Temple, Nanchan Temple and Jinge Temple in Xinzhou, Xuankong Temple in Datong, Shuanglin Temple in Jinzhong, Chongfu Temple in Shuozhou and Yuhuang Temple in Jincheng, are the most notable settings in the game.