Uncover the magic of Shanxi Province with Wukong
People wait outside Tiefo Temple, a new Wukong site that opened to the public in August, according to the Gaoping government site.
The time to visit Shanxi has never been better.
Dedicated travelers are in for a treat with the opportunity to relive scenes from the blockbuster video game "Black Myth: Wukong."
This guide visits less-travelled sites used in the game to cover a captivating journey through ancient Chinese constellations, murals preserved over a millennium, and Buddhist sculptures dating back to the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907).
A photo of Sculptures Temple in Gaoping City, Shanxi Province. Courtesy of the Gaoping government website.
Wukong changes Shanxi Tourism
For years, Shanxi's national treasures remained largely unexplored, particularly the temples and towers tucked away in the south. However, the province boasts a wealth of Buddhist art, rivaling the treasures of Dunhuang. With over 1,000 years of history, Shanxi is aptly nicknamed the "Museum on the Ground," a counterpart to Shaanxi's "Underground Museum" filled with Terracotta Warriors.
Hanging sculptures in Xiaoxitian Temple, which is known as "Minor Western Heaven" in Shanxi Province. Photographed by Wei Zhong, who visited Shanxi immediately after "Black Myth: Wukong" was released.
As a fan of ancient Chinese architecture and Buddhist art and a Lonely Planet author (for both Shanxi and Shaanxi), I have travelled to Shanxi several times. I have to admit places like Jincheng, Changzhi, Yuncheng and Ruicheng were less accessible.
I still remember asking locals or using map applications to find the sites, sometimes hidden within a residential community without any signs, or calling gatekeepers or villagers nearby to open a lock as the sites often had no visitors. But the effort is absolutely worthwhile.
Most recently, the game, which sold 10 million copies within three days, changed everything.
"Black Myth: Wukong" has ignited a new wave of interest in Shanxi. Inspired by the classic novel "Journey to the West," the game features numerous real-life landmarks from the province. Following the game's launch, travel platforms like Trip and Figgy have seen a surge in searches for Shanxi tourism, with popular Wukong sites experiencing an influx of visitors.
"Black Myth: Wukong" was filmed at 36 scenic spots in China, with up to 27 locations in Shanxi, including Yungang Grotto and Hanging Temple in Datong and Yuhuang Temple in Jincheng.
Some "Wukong Sites" like Xiaoxitian and Tiefo Temples are crowded with visitors.
The Shanxi Culture and Tourism Bureau also released a short video on social media platforms, blending game footage with real-life scenes of local tourist attractions, including "Wukong Site" itineraries.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is the opening of Tiefo Temple, which had been closed for more than a decade to preserve its relics. The Shanxi Culture and Tourism bureau released the news last week.
A game scene depicting the real-life Yuhuang Temple in Shanxi Province.
A map of ancient treasures in Shanxi. It includes a pagoda, sculpture, Hanging Temple and a god in Yuhuang Temple, all of which appeared in "Black Myth: Wukong".
Itineraries to Shanxi sites
For foreigners, it's easier to visit Shanxi to see ancient artworks than it is to go to the Dunhuang caves in the western desert of Gansu, where visitors are only permitted to follow guides to visit several selected caves among hundreds, or Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in the far west.
A normal one-week itinerary often starts in the provincial capital Taiyuan or Datong in the north, where Yungang Grotto is located. Then you can visit the Hanging Temple, Wutai Moutain, Jingci Temple, Pingyao and Yuncheng.
Many of these sites, including those in "Black Myth: Wukong", are on the road including Fogong Pagoda, Tang Dynasty temples at Mt. Wutai, and Shuanglin and Zhenguo Temples in Pingyao, which contain imposing sculptures of Tianwang (Heavenly Lords) and Guanyin (Avalokitesvara, goddess of compassion).
A more interesting itinerary, maybe for your second visit to Shanxi, can start at Jincheng or Changzhi in southern Shanxi. It's accessible by train from Taiyuan or by bus from Zhengzhou, capital city of Henan Province. Then catch a bus to Gaoping, Changzhi, Houma, Yuncheng and Ruicheng. The route contains many Wukong sites, normally with fewer travelers.
Wukong sites
Yuhuang Temple, Jincheng
Yuhuang Temple, meaning Heavenly Emperor Temple, is a shabby temple hidden in a village, making it difficult to locate. You can't miss the sculptures of 28 constellation gods. Each is represented by both human and animal images, existing in both "Journey to the West" and the Wukong game. Some animals, like the flood dragon, exist only in legend. The facial expressions of the gods are notable, especially those of Kang Jin Long (Gold Dragon) and Jiao Mu Jiao (Wood Nessie, a water beast in legends).
It's actually a Taoist Temple. Due to lack of security and preservation, the original head of Jiao Mu Jiao was stolen in the early years of this century. Call a taxi to Yuhuang Temple from Jincheng (about a 20 minute drive) and make sure the driver knows the way.
Yongle Temple, Ruicheng/Kaihua Temple, Gaoping
Mural painting is an encyclopedia of history and Shanxi has an abundance of excellent murals, second only to those in Dunhuang in Gansu. Yongle Palace is as famous as Dunhuang in terms of murals. Others can be found in Kaihua Temple in Gaoping.
Yongle Palace receives few visitors and is difficult to access (three hours from Yuncheng in good weather). Murals and stone sculpture make the trip worthwhile as they are particularly graceful, evoking the work of Tang Dynasty master Wu Daozi.
Murals in Longhu, Sanqing, Chunyang and Chongyang halls cover more than 430 square meters. They all memorialize the Taoist god Lu Dongbin, one of the eight great Taoist gods. Though Taoism is known for austerity, these murals are romantic and graceful. The eyes of the goddesses are expressive. In the 1950s, Premier Zhou Enlai ordered the relocation of the temple to protect it and its murals from new dams being built in neighboring Henan.
The 88-square-meter murals in Kaihua Temple are unusual in that they depict the daily lives of secular people, farmers working their fields and ladies sewing embroidery during the Song Dynasty (AD960-1279).
If Kaihua Temple is closed for preservation, which occurs often in Shanxi, Guanyin Hall in the Changzhi suburb is nearby and worth a visit. It contains over 1,000 colorful sculptures. It is quiet and seldom visited.
Qinglian Temple, Jincheng
You will arrive at the Upper Qinglian Temple with Song Dynasty architecture and sculptures of Luohan or Arhat (a Buddhist who has achieved enlightenment). Then a 15-minute walk takes you to Lower Qinglian Temple containing amazing Buddhist sculptures created more than 1,000 years ago.
It is one of only four places in Shanxi with Tang Dynasty sculptures.
A beautiful sculpture base in a temple in Yuncheng.
Temple of Guan Yu, near Yuncheng
Guan Yu, who was born in Yuncheng, was a legendary general from the Three Kingdoms Period (220-280 AD), depicted in the classic Chinese novel "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms." This is China's biggest temple memorializing his courage and loyalty.
The temple was built in 589 AD in the Sui Dynasty (AD 581-618) and expanded and rebuilt in the Song, Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. The complex covers more than 66,000 square meters and a guide is strongly recommended. Murals depict 2,000-year-old legends and a guide can tell you stories.
The Buddha sculptures at Yungang Grotto were created more than 1,500 years ago.
Why Shanxi?
I am often asked why I'm so interested in Shanxi and keep coming back. Now the answer is clear: to visit the new Tiefo Temple, revisit the Wukong sites and see the irresistible and beautiful Buddhist sculptures. Shanxi contains thousands of Buddhist sculptures, far more than all other inland provinces.
Many temples and caves containing artifacts have been damaged by conflicts, fire and natural disasters. But due to its relatively dry weather and fewer conflicts, Shanxi is the province with the most ancient temples and the best preserved sculptures according to the book "Ancient Chinese Buddhist Sculpture" by professor Jin Weinuo.
Meanwhile, Shanxi's masterpieces are clear evidence of the spread of Buddhist art from India and Pakistan through Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Gansu Province to its interior, making it a site that can't be neglected along the Silk Road.
If you want to see the DNA of China's Buddhist and Taoist art, Shanxi should be on the top of the list, along with Gansu Province, home of Dunhuang and Maijishan.
The popularity of "Black Myth: Wukong" is also a good reason to visit or revisit Shanxi as its relics and buildings are now well persevered and much better guided tours are available.
