(Video by the Culture and Tourism Department of Shanxi Province)

The release of China's first AAA-level game, Black Myth: Wukong, has thrust North China's Shanxi province into the limelight. The game, which features stunning visuals and intricate details of 27 scenic locations in the province, has caused the topic "Shanxi culture and tourism" to trend on social media.

Following the game's launch on Aug 20, the Culture and Tourism Department of Shanxi Province released a promotional video entitled Travel Shanxi with Wukong. The video follows in the footsteps of the Monkey King and takes viewers on a virtual tour of renowned attractions, including the Yungang Grottoes, Huayan Temple, Nanchan Temple, Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, and Xiaoxitian in Xixian county.

As of 9:22 am on Aug 21, searches for Taiyuan, Shanxi, on the travel platform Qunar had surged by 10 percent compared to the previous week and 40 percent compared to the previous hour, with the trend continuing to rise.

"This close connection to the game world allows us to use digital platforms to introduce Shanxi's high-quality cultural and tourism resources through immersive, experiential, and interactive methods," said Yao Zheng from the science and technology department of Linfen city's culture and tourism bureau.

Shanxi's ancient architecture is renowned for its sheer volume, diversity, distinct regional styles, and spanning complete historical periods. The province boasts the most national key cultural relics in China, the fourth-highest number of immovable cultural relics nationwide, and approximately 82.4 percent of China's wooden structures from the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-960) to the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).

The 2024 Digital Culture and Tourism Brand Innovation Conference will be held from Aug 22 to 25. During the conference, the Culture and Tourism Department of Shanxi Province will unveil thematic travel routes inspired by Travel Shanxi with Wukong, along with free commemorative tokens and themed cultural and creative products.