Reflections | Black Myth: Wukong video game is the latest iteration of 500-year-old Journey to the West
The video game is based on classic Chinese novel Journey to the West – the story of a monk, based on a historical figure, and his disciples
The global buzz created by the video game Black Myth: Wukong since its launch on August 20 has already sparked talk of using video games as a new medium to project China’s soft power.
Both the Chinese Foreign Ministry and Xinhua, the state-owned news agency, made references to the traditional Chinese milieu the characters in the game inhabit, with a ministry spokeswoman saying that the game’s success “speaks to the appeal of the Chinese culture”.
Black Myth: Wukong follows Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King, as he goes on a quest to acquire six magical relics. The premise of the game is based on Xi You Ji, or Journey to the West, considered one of the greatest classical Chinese novels.
Since it appeared about 500 years ago, the novel has had a profound impact on Chinese popular culture, and been adapted for xiqu (the art form that many still refer to as “Chinese opera”), countless comic books, television shows, films and, in the modern era, games.
Even those who have never read Journey to the West will know some parts of the story and the main characters.
