What is the story of Sun Wukong? Discover the myth that inspired Black Myth Wukong

Black Myth Wukong is another of the great adventures of 2024 that has collected countless critical acclaim. The game, which arrived today, August 20th, for PS5 and PCis inspired by an iconic legend from Chinese mythology that has already served as inspiration for countless characters in pop culture — both Eastern and Western.

Developed by Chinese studio Game Science Interactive, Black Myth Wukong will have the Monkey King as the protagonist. The character is part of a legend from Asian culture that takes players on an adventure based on the tale of Journey to the West — one of the four great classical novels of Chinese literature.

Black Myth Wukong is available now on PS5 and PC, with Xbox coming later.Source: PS Store

If you’re not aware of the inspirations behind Black Myth Wukong, check out more details about the story that served as the basis for the creation of the game, which can now be played on PC and PS5, and will be coming to Xbox Series S and X in the future.

Black Myth Wukong seems to have lived up to expectations

Before we jump into the story that inspired the development of the adventure, know that the review embargo fell last Friday (16) — and it seems that the game really met the expectations of those eager to play.

Therefore, Black Myth Wukong boasts a respectable average of 82 pointsbased on 54 reviews from specialized media around the world. Want to know the impressions of Voxel? Then check out our video review below!

The Origin of Sun Wukong

If you play online games, especially those of the MOBA genre, you have probably come across Wukong League of Legends or the Monkey King of Dota 2. These two characters, as well as Goku himself, Dragon Ballwere inspired by Sun Wukong, a legendary Chinese warrior who has a story full of twists and turns.

The Chinese tale of Sun Wukong is an essential part of the classic Journey to the Westone of the four great works of Chinese literature written by Wu Cheng’en during the Ming dynasty in the 16th century.

In addition to illustrating with unprecedented richness all the magic of Chinese mythology, the story also reflects other universal themes — such as redemption, overcoming and self-knowledge.

Sun Wukong was born from a magical rock at the top of Mount Huagou, which was imbued with heavenly energies.Fonte:  Mythopedia

Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King, was born from a magical rock at the top of Mount Huagou, which was imbued with celestial energies. One day, a strong breeze blew over the mountain and caused a fully formed monkey to emerge from the rock. Although still premature, the young animal could already walk and talk.

Through his supernatural origins, Wukong was blessed with extraordinary abilities, such as unparalleled superhuman strength and the ability to transform into 72 different animals and objects—despite being impatient and having a short-tempered temperament. He could also magically manipulate wind, water, and fire, and was an expert martial artist.

The Monkey King had extraordinary powers that helped him earn a position of respect among the deities of Chinese mythology.Fonte:  Ineverycrea

Well, after being born from the rock and being blessed with extremely strong attributes, Wukong soon went exploring the forest, where he met other monkeys and went through a great challenge to become their leader. The big shot quickly became the “demon of the forest” and promised to fight other deities from Chinese folklore to gain respect.

As is true mythology, Wukong’s exploits soon earned him a slew of powerful weapons. The arsenal described in the legends includes a suit of gold-plated mail armor, a phoenix-feathered cap, cloud-walking boots, and the Ruyi Jingu Bang—an eight-ton staff that belonged to the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea and could shrink to the size of a needle.

Wukong’s redemption in Journey to the West

However, Wukong is not just a hero. His mischievous and impulsive nature, as well as his desire for the approval of the gods, led him to defy the celestial authorities. Among the enemies he has made is the Jade Emperor — one of the main entities in Chinese mythology.

One day, the Monkey King faced the Jade Emperor’s forces and single-handedly defeated all of his men. This feat forced the deity to recognize Wukong’s strength and promote him to the protector of the Peaches of Immortality—which belonged to Xi Wangmu, the Queen Mother of the West.

However, Wukong was still dissatisfied and decided to eat all the fruit—which ended up triggering a new confrontation with the emperor’s forces, in which the monkey emerged victorious once again. Not knowing what to do, the Jade Emperor appealed to the Buddha, who immediately banished the Monkey King from heaven and imprisoned him for 500 years in a mountain.

Jade Emperor, one of the most important entities in Chinese mythology.Fonte:  History Skills

During this time, Wukong learned valuable lessons about humility and patience. Eventually, a traveling monk named Tang Sanzang found the Monkey King and offered to free him. However, there was one condition: the Monkey King would have to accompany him to India in search of sacred texts to bring salvation to the Chinese people.

Despite resisting the idea of ​​serving a human, the big shot ends up giving in and embarks on the journey to the west with the monk and two other apprentices descended from demons: Zhu Bajie (or “Piggy”) and Sha Wujing (or “Sandy”).

Artwork illustrating the Tang monk Sanzang and his three disciples, including Sun Wukong and the demons Zhu Bajie (or “Piggy”) and Sha Wujing (or “Sandy”). Fonte:  Godyssey (X)

Grateful to be released from his prison, Sun Wukong served Tang faithfully during his adventure to India. On this adventure, he faced supernatural challenges, a series of demons, spirits and gods who tried to impede the monk’s progress towards his goal.

Through his noble deeds and dedication to the teachings of Tang, the Monkey King eventually achieves his dream of redemption and also manages to put an end to his angry, greedy, and envious tendencies.

Now, we just have to wait and see how all these feats will be adapted into the world of Black Myth Wukong. So, what did you think of the story of Sun Wukong, the Monkey King who inspired Game Science’s adventure? Share your impressions on the game’s social networks. Voxel!