The Chinese video game "Black Myth: Wukong" developed by Game Science, a Shenzhen-based startup, has immersed millions of players worldwide with its magnificent world of Chinese mythology as well as the stunning and captivating scenes of ancient Chinese architecture and sculptures.                     

One of the real-world locations of the iconic scenes in the game is Yuhuang Temple in Jincheng city of Shanxi in North China, which features thousands of colored sculptures from the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368). 

"With its rich historical and cultural heritage, Shanxi stands out among many regions in China" said Zhang Qing, an official with the Culture and Tourism Department of Shanxi Province. "The game features 36 filming locations across China, with 27 of them located in Shanxi. Many scenes, including ancient temples, pagodas, archways, grottoes, stone carvings, and sculptures, are either faithfully recreated or meticulously modeled by animators based on real-life ancient buildings in Shanxi."

"Before the game official launched, the open testing and promotion of the game have already driven the tourist flow. During the summer vacation of 2024, the number of visitors to Yuhuang Temple reached a record high, with over 50,000 visits in 6 months." said Yin Zhenxing, curator of the Yuhuang Temple museum. Players have shown great interest in the scenes featuring the colored sculptures at Yuhuang Temple, each of which has its own unique characteristics: some are majestic, some are gentle and charming, and some are mysterious and unfathomable.

Since the release of the game's first promotional video a few years ago, the Culture and Tourism Department of Shanxi Province has reached an agreement with the developer on leveraging the beautiful scenes in the game to promote cultural tourism in Shanxi.