The popular video game Black Myth: Wukong has ignited a surge in tourism for Shanxi during the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, drawing visitors eager to experience the cultural landmarks featured in the game.
At Xiaoxitian or the Little Western Paradise in Linfen City, where the intricate hanging sculptures of Buddhas have been digitally recreated in the game, the number of visitors hiked by a whopping 326 percent on the first day of the holiday on Sunday.
This unique blend of traditional architecture and modern gaming has breathed new life into Shanxi's tourism sector.
"I think it's absolutely necessary to come here. The ancient artisans' skills in making these exquisite sculptures are truly breathtaking," said Gao Mingqi, a visitor.
Leveraging the game's popularity, local attractions have introduced themed checkpoints and checkpoint pass to enhance the visitor experience.
At Chongfu Temple in Shuozhou City, visitors began lining up at 5:00 to get limited edition pass.
"As Black Myth: Wukong is super popular right now, I flew from Guangdong to Shaanxi. I began to wait in line since 5:00 just to get a checkpoint pass," said a visitor.
The provincial government has launched a themed activity related to the game, converting the global game buzz into tourism momentum.
One week before the Mid-Autumn Festival which falls on Tuesday, holiday bookings in Shanxi rose 15 percent compared with the Dragon Boat Festival in June, with international travel orders soaring by 180 percent.
Shanxi's tourism booms thanks to blockbuster game Black Myth: Wukong
U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he will extend the two-week ceasefire with Iran that was set to expire on Wednesday night (midnight GMT Tuesday).
"Based on the fact that the Government of Iran is seriously fractured, not unexpectedly so and, upon the request of Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, of Pakistan, we have been asked to hold our Attack on the Country of Iran until such time as their leaders and representatives can come up with a unified proposal," Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The U.S. president said he will "extend the ceasefire until such time as their proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other."
The U.S. military will continue the blockade against Iran and "remain ready and able," according to Trump.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said in a post on X Tuesday that the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports is "an act of war and thus a violation of the ceasefire" and attacking Iranian merchant ships and detaining their crew members were even more serious violations.
"Iran knows how to neutralize restrictions, how to defend its interests, and how to resist bullying," Araghchi wrote in his post.
Mehdi Mohammadi, an advisor to Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, also said the U.S. blockade must be met with a military response, dismissing Trump's ceasefire extension announcement as "meaningless".
"Extending the ceasefire by Trump has no meaning. The losing side cannot dictate terms. Continuing the blockade is no different from bombing and must be met with a military response. Moreover, any extension of the ceasefire by Trump is certainly a way to buy time for a surprise attack. Now is the time for Iran to take the initiative," Mohammadi posted on X.
Trump extends ceasefire; Iran vows military response to naval blockade
