China’s action-role-playing video game, Black Myth: Wukong has hit the gaming world with a storm. This single-player game has been developed and published by Game Science. It is played from a third-person perspective. In two weeks, it has sold over 18 million copies making it one of the fastest starts the global gaming industry has ever seen. Interestingly, the Chinese action game which is set in mythological China, has a very deep Indian connection.
Notably, Black Myth: Wukong is based on a 16th-century classical Chinese novel – Journey to the West. This comic novel was written by Wu Cheng’en, a novelist and poet of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644).
Over the past few centuries, the ‘West’ has become an overarching term to allude to materialistically advanced European nations and US allies. Irrespective of geography, several US allies like Australia (which lies in the East), and others are often considered part of the West. However, ‘the West’ which finds a mention in the Chinese novel – Journey to the West, actually refers to India when it was the cradle of advanced and prospering civilisation. Back then, India enjoyed great soft power throughout the world and the country was a desired destination for travelers seeking knowledge and wisdom as well as its wealth and trade.
The Journey to the West chronicles the journey of the famous Chinese monk Hieun Tsang in India. It is based on the actual 7th-century pilgrimage of the Buddhist monk who traversed India in search of sacred Buddhist texts. Strikingly, India also finds multiple mentions in the Classical Chinese novel as it is often referred to as the ‘Great Indian Kingdom’.
Incidentally, the same fact was also mentioned by the Spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India, Yu Jing. On 8th September, the Chinese Embassy official highlighted that the Chinese video game has a deep connection with India. She made this reference while responding to Elon Musk who heaped praise on the Chinese video game.
Taking to X, she wrote, “#BlackMythWukong is based on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. That “West” was actually “India”. In real history, Chinese monk Hsuan Tsang walked on foot from China to India, and then throughout the Indian subcontinent.”
#BlackMythWukong is based on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West. That “West” was actually "India". In real history, Chinese monk Hsuan Tsang walked on foot from China to India, and then throughout the Indian subcontinent. @elonmusk https://t.co/jzTO6plOFD
— Yu Jing (@ChinaSpox_India) September 8, 2024
Black Myth: Wukong and its Indian connection explained: Details
Black Myth: Wukong storyline follows the journey of the Monkey King, Sun Wukong, and his quest to reclaim six mythical relics. It is based on the Journey to the West which has 100 chapters, divided into three major sections.
The first seven chapters of the classical Chinese comic novel deals with the birth of a monkey from a stone egg and how he acquired magical powers.
Five chapters are related to the story of Hieun Tsang (Xuanzang), known as Tripitaka, and the origin of his mission to the Western Paradise (India).
The novel predominately recounts the 81 adventures that Tripitaka encountered along with three animal spirits. These three mystical animals include the magically gifted Monkey, a slow-witted and clumsy Pigsy, and the fish spirit Sandy. It focuses on their journey to India and it finally culminates when they attain the sacred scrolls (sacred religious texts).
It is pertinent to note that Hieun Tsang arrived in India at around 630 A.D. during the reign of King Harshavardhan. Tsang was a famous Buddhist monk and Chinese pilgrim to India who translated the sacred scriptures of Buddhism from Sanskrit into Chinese. He also founded the Buddhist Consciousness Only school in China. He is famous for the volume and diversity of his translations of the Buddhist sutras and for recording his travels in Central Asia and India which has served as a wealth of detailed and precise data for historians and archaeologists.
He stayed in India for 15 years. During this time, he studied Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism in several monasteries including in places like Kashmir, Sialkot, Kanauj, and Nalanda.
During that era, India was a shining example of spiritual knowledge and wisdom and it was the fountainhead of several spiritual and religious faiths. India’s prowess in spiritual and knowledge systems could be understood from the story of Hieun Tsang.
Hieun Tsang was born into a family of scholars and received a classical Confucian education in his youth. Under the influence of his elder brother, he became interested in the Buddhist scriptures and was soon converted to Buddhism.
Despite travelling throughout China, Hieun Tsang could not correct numerous discrepancies and contradictions in the texts he encountered while studying Buddhist philosophy. When he couldn’t find solutions from his Chinese masters throughout China, the Buddhist monk decided to go to India to study at the fountainhead of Buddhism.
In India, Tsang visited all the sacred sites connected with the life of the Buddha. He traveled along the east and west coasts of the subcontinent. However, he spent most of his time at the Nalanda monastery which was the greatest Buddhist centre of learning before it was burnt to ashes by Muslim invader Bakhtiyar Khilji in the late 12th century.
During his Nalanda stay, Hieun Tsang perfected his knowledge of Sanskrit, Buddhist philosophy, and Indian thought.
It is important to note that Indian kings used to encourage and promote India’s spiritual knowledge system. Evidently, the powerful king of North India, King Harsha facilitated and honoured the Chinese Buddhist monk for his quest for knowledge from several monasteries throughout India.
Tsang spent the remainder of his life translating the Buddhist scriptures, numbering 657 items packed in 520 cases, that he brought back from India.
Nonetheless, since its release on 19th August, the Chinese video game – Black Myth: Wukong – has broken several records for single-player titles. According to Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmad, it’s estimated to have earned $700 million so far which is second only to Call of Duty’s historic $1 billion in 10 days.
