The new role-playing game Black Myth: Wukong thrilled gamers around the world when it was released on Aug 20. One of the game's highlights is the inclusion of a series of stunning real-world pieces of traditional Chinese architecture.

Two attractions in Jinan – the cluster of tombstones in Lingyan Temple and the Simen Pagoda, are included in the game.

The game, developed by Shenzhen-headquartered Game Science, was inspired by China's rich mythology and the 16th-century seminal novel Journey to the West, one of the four great classic novels of Chinese literature. It is infused with traditional Chinese cultural elements, offering gamers a novel experience of Chinese imagination and landscapes.

The game's production team traveled across China observing ancient buildings and relics. Creations and historical relics were incorporated into every scene in the game. According to statistics compiled by netizens, it involves 31 real sites in China.

The Simen Pagoda has a history of more than 1,400 years and is the only surviving stone pagoda from the Sui Dynasty (581-618) in China. The single-story, square-shaped pagoda was constructed entirely from bluestone blocks and has an arched door on each of its four sides, hence the name Simen Pagoda (meaning "Four-gate" Pagoda).

The cluster of tombstones in Lingyan Temple is where the abbots of Lingyan Temple have been buried since the Tang Dynasty (618-907). There are a total of 167 tomb towers and 81 tombstones, making it the second largest tombstone group in China.

The first image shows the tombstone cluster in Lingyan Temple, while the second shows the site featured in the game Black Myth: Wukong. [Photo/Dazhong Daily]

The first image shows Simen Pagoda in Jinan, while the second shows the site featured in the game Black Myth: Wukong. [Photo/Dazhong Daily]