BEIJING, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Two recent developments have excited lovers of traditional Chinese culture -- internet sensation Li Ziqi made a comeback after her long hiatus, and the video game hit "Black Myth: Wukong" won multiple Golden Joystick Awards.
Li, one of the most influential Chinese vloggers known for her poetic portrayal of rural life, returned to the limelight earlier this month with a brand-new video featuring traditional Chinese lacquerware making.
In the video, set against her signature pastoral, idyllic backdrops, Li set out to refurbish her grandmother's worn-out wardrobe in the style of Chengdu lacquer art, an intangible cultural heritage featuring intricate carving, painting and polishing techniques.
Less than 20 minutes after its release, Li's return was the top trending topic on China's popular microblogging site Weibo. Within just two hours, over 40 million views were recorded on both domestic and overseas online platforms, including YouTube where Li boasts over 20 million subscribers.
For many followers, the real appeal of Li's vlogs is her dedication to authentically presenting traditional Chinese culture and craftsmanship.
In Li's previous vlogs, whether making "peach blossom wines," baking "pipa cakes," crafting calligraphy stationery, reeling silk filaments, or stitching embroidery, she stuck to the traditional recipe and methodology.
Due to the time invested to acquire the traditional skills by herself, Li sometimes had to spend months or even a year to shoot the content for videos, even if the final product runs for just a few minutes.
Currently, Li has found herself gravitating toward the innovative development and ecosystem building for traditional Chinese culture.
"Internet, short-format video, technologies including artificial intelligence, all these things can be used to show my life and spread culture, so I want to keep going and see if I could blaze some new trails," Li explained her future work plans in a recent interview.
Li's content is not just admired by Chinese audiences, but also followed by many people across the world out of their shared love of life. The majority of comments below her vlogs are recognition and appreciation for Chinese cultural elements, observed Wei Pengju, director of the institute of cultural economics at the Central University of Finance and Economics.
"She is more than just a YouTuber; she is a beacon of simplicity, resilience, and artistry in a fast-paced world ... Li Ziqi shows us that true luxury lies not in material wealth, but in the ability to create, to connect, and to honor tradition," said a YouTube comment on Li's new vlog.
While China's cultural heritage is gaining more exposure on digital platforms, it is also being presented in more engaging and creative way thanks to the advancement of digital technologies.
Among them, one run-away success story is that of "Black Myth: Wukong." The third-person action title clinched the "Ultimate Game of the Year" and "Best Visual Design" accolades this month at the 2024 Golden Joystick Awards, with additional nominations for "Best Game Direction," "Best Action Game," and "Best Art Direction."
Inspired by the ancient classic Journey to the West, the game features Sun Wukong, also known as the Monkey King, as its main character, and showcases a variety of traditional Chinese architecture, costumes and cultural elements.
To make the game immersive, its developer Game Science spent years shooting scenes across the country and used 3D scanning technology and digital processing to incorporate virtual models of ancient buildings and sculptures into the game's visual design.
"What we can do is to make these treasures as authentic as possible," the game's art director Yang Qi said. "Initially, we tried to build the game's architecture, sculpture and other content from scratch, but soon realized that the artifacts are already out there in the real world with long-lasting charms."
Inside the game, players can choose from a plethora of traditional garments, armor, headpieces and weaponry to create their own Monkey King, while the non-player characters are well-polished and thought out, with costumes featuring traditional designs and embroidery patterns.
Audio-wise, traditional Chinese instruments such as suona, pipa and guzheng constitute the primary melodies, enriched with pianos and orchestral music from the West to broaden the game's epic narrative.
"The world of 'Black Myth: Wukong' is a rich one, as it pulls from Chinese mythology and keeps a lot of the aesthetic of traditional Chinese artwork that makes the game look and feel special despite its use of hyperrealistic graphics," wrote Kazuma Hashimoto, a game reviewer.
"What makes this game different is precisely the cultural factor: it is set both narratively and esthetically in Chinese culture and tradition," said Mario Alaguero, coordinator of the Center for Innovation and Technology in Video Games and Audiovisual Communication at the University of Burgos in Spain.
Since its release on Aug. 20, "Black Myth: Wukong" has taken the gaming world by storm, selling over 10 million copies across all platforms within three days of release.
According to data from market research firm VG Insights, the game had sold over 20 million units on gaming platform Steam, achieving a total revenue of more than 1 billion U.S. dollars by late September.
At a September forum, Feng Ji, producer of "Black Myth: Wukong," said: "Intangible cultural heritage has withstood the test of time. When we think about how to protect it, it is a good choice to adopt the most popular way now, such as interactive entertainment combined with related technologies."
Such an appropriate way can instantly enlarge its audience, and everyone can immediately feel that it is not outdated in this era, Feng added. ■
