Exploring Shanxi with the Monkey King - Southeastern Shanxi Chapter

On August 20, the domestically acclaimed and groundbreaking game "Black Myth: Wukong" was globally unlocked, and it had already been pre-loaded on multiple platforms. Among the 36 filming locations across various provinces and cities, 27 are located in Shanxi Province. The game features magnificent and realistic Chinese landscapes, ancient architectural complexes, Taoist and Buddhist statues, and even bizarre images of celestial beings and demons, providing every gamer with an unprecedented experience. Notably, the Yuhuang Temple, the Qinglian Temple, and the Tiefo Temple in the southeast of Shanxi Province all appear in the game. Let's take a look!

Many of the game's visual elements are also drawn from the Twenty-Eight Mansions colored sculptures in Yuhuang Temple in Zezhou. Located approximately 13 kilometers northeast of downtown Jincheng City, the Yuhuang Temple was designated as a national key cultural relic protection unit in the third batch in 1988. The temple houses exquisite colorful sculptures from the Song, Jin, and Yuan dynasties, each exquisitely detailed and awe-inspiring in their grandeur. The Twenty-Eight Mansions colored sculptures in Yuhuang Temple are unique among the ancient sculptural relics discovered nationwide, representing the pinnacle of ancient Chinese sculptural art. As the only surviving examples of their kind in China, they are truly national treasures.

As sources of inspiration for game scenery design, Qinglian Temple, situated in the southeast of Jincheng City, was built during the Tianbao era of the Northern Qi Dynasty. Nestled against a towering mountain, it boasts picturesque scenery and comprises an upper and a lower courtyard. The lower courtyard, also known as the Ancient Qinglian Temple, marks the original site of the temple established in the Tang Dynasty. Within its Maitreya Hall, six exquisite Tang Dynasty colored sculptures stand as unique treasures nationwide. The temple further preserves historical relics such as Wei Dynasty steles, Tang Dynasty sculptures, Song Dynasty structures, Ming and Qing Dynasties murals, and poetic inscriptions.

Tiefo Temple, featured in the game's visuals, lies in Mixi Village, five kilometers southeast of downtown Gaoping City.The temple houses 27 statues, arranged according to the order of the Twenty-Four Protective Deities, with the Four Heavenly Kings standing at each corner. Employing the innovative technique of "using iron as the skeleton and shaping with iron," the colored sculptures of Tiefo Temple feature exaggerated body expressions and richly layered drapery, creating a magnificent effect. They serve as exemplary works of Ming Dynasty Buddhist colored sculpture art in the region.

Xixi Erxian Temple, another location captured in the game's scenery, is located in Lingchuan County, Jincheng, Shanxi Province. Established during the Qianyuan era of the Tang Dynasty, it boasts a rich history. Notable architectural relics from the Jin Dynasty include the East and West Dressing Towers and the Rear Hall. The temple also houses 29 stone inscriptions from various eras, along with numerous wooden carvings, stone sculptures, glazed tiles, painted decorations, and murals, all adding to its cultural significance.

Chongqing Temple, one of the game's scenic backdrops, is situated on Ziyun Mountain in Changzi County, Changzhi, Shanxi Province. Founded in the ninth year of the Dazhong Xiangfu era of the Northern Song Dynasty, it stands as the most intact early Song Dynasty structure in the southeastern part of Shanxi Province. The Thousand Buddha Hall serves as the main hall, while the Dashi Hall boasts exquisite Song Dynasty colored sculptures of the Three Bodhisattvas and Eighteen Arhats,exhibiting a distinctive style and exquisite craftsmanship.Renowned as "the Crown of Song Dynasty Sculptures," these Arhat statues are the only surviving Song Dynasty Arhat sculptures with a definitive date in China.

From the virtual realm of the game to the tangible world around us, we invite you to step out and explore. From the mundane hustle and bustle of daily life to the ethereal realms of Buddhist utopias and treasure troves of sculpture, we encourage you to delve deeper. Exploring Shanxi with the Monkey King, southeastern Shanxi awaits your visit!

(The images are sourced from the internet. If there is any infringement, they will be removed.)

Source: Comprehensive collation by sx.china.com