About

About ‘Black Myth: Wukong’

Black Myth: Wukong, made by China-based studio Game Science, is an action role-playing game inspired by Journey to the West. It, along with Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Water Margin, and Dream of the Red Chamber, is one of the great pillars of Chinese literature. To adapt the story of Journey to the West, a timeless classic with characters and themes that have remained influential throughout East Asia, is already a daunting task. Thankfully, Game Science has managed to pull off the impossible, weaving together a narrative that’s intricate, original, and, at times, thought-provoking.

Who is Wukong?

Wukong (Sun Wukong) is a household name in China, a super hero known to virtually everyone. He is one of the most important protagonists in the famous Chinese classical novel “Journey to the West“. It is said that in China, no one is unfamiliar with Sun Wukong, and every boy has dreamed of becoming him.

Wukong was born from a magical stone and, due to his bravery and abilities, became the Monkey King of Mount Huaguo (Flower Fruit Mountain). After experiencing life and death separations, he sought immortality and traveled the world to learn the Tao (Dao). Upon returning, his disdain for worldly rules and mischievous nature led him to commit various offenses. Following a series of earth-shattering battles, he was eventually sealed under the Five Elements Mountain by the Buddha. 500 years later, he was saved by the monk Tang Sanzang, converted to Buddhism, and accompanied him on a journey to the West to fetch sacred scriptures. Along the way, they vanquished many Yaoguai (demons) and monsters. Ultimately, Wukong attained enlightenment and became the Victorious Fighting Buddha.

The Journey to the West Universe

In the Journey to the West universe, the world is divided into the Heavenly Realm, the Buddhist Realm, the Human Realm, and the Underworld. Characters are categorized as Xian, Buddhas, Humans, Yaoguai, and Spirits.

• The Heavenly Realm is the world of the Xian (Immortals), ruled by the Jade Emperor. Key locations include the Hall of Miraculous Mist, the Peach Garden, and the Tushita Palace.
• The Buddhist Realm is the world of the Buddhas, ruled by the Buddha Tathagata. The main location is Mount Lingshan, which is the destination of the Journey to the West team to retrieve the sacred scriptures.
• The Human Realm is the world of humans and Yaoguai (demons), which is the world we are familiar with. In this realm, Yaoguai are animals that have cultivated into semi-human forms (similar to half-orcs). Most of the time, they are antagonists (occupying mountains and harming humans), but there are also good Yaoguai, just as there are good and bad humans. It is worth mentioning that Wukong is also considered a Yaoguai. Both humans and Yaoguai can cultivate to become immortals or transcend tribulations to become Buddhas. However, if they fail to achieve this within their lifespan, they will enter the Underworld for reincarnation. Besides humans and Yaoguai, many Xian and Buddhas also choose to live freely in the Human Realm, though it often comes at a cost. In Chinese mythology, there are numerous stories where humans, Yaoguai, Xian, and Buddhas are entangled with each other in complex relationships
• The Underworld is the world of spirits, ruled by King Yama. King Yama governs the life and death of humans and Yaoguai. Typically, both humans and Yaoguai have preordained destinies, such as how long a person is destined to live. King Yama follows these destinies to control the life and death of individuals.

The Journey to the West pilgrimage team

• Tang Sanzang (also known as Tripitaka or Xuanzang)（唐三藏、唐僧）, a devout Buddhist monk, was chosen by the Tang Emperor to undertake the pilgrimage to India to retrieve sacred scriptures.
• Sun Wukong (the Monkey King)（孙悟空、孙行者）, after being released from his imprisonment under a mountain by Tang Sanzang, joined the pilgrimage team as a powerful and loyal disciple.
• Zhu Bajie (Pigsy)（猪八戒）, a former heavenly marshal who was banished to Earth and transformed into a pig Yaoguai, joined the team after being subdued by Tang Sanzang and Sun Wukong.
• Sha Wujing (Sandy)（沙悟净、沙僧）, a former celestial general exiled to the mortal world, became a disciple of Tang Sanzang after being defeated and reformed by the team.
• The White Dragon Horse（白龙马）, originally a dragon prince who was punished and transformed into a horse, became Tang Sanzang’s steed after being tamed by Sun Wukong.