Guarding the precious past is a family affair

For 78-year-old Wang Gaiying, Tiefo Temple is not only a hidden architectural gem in Gaoping, Shanxi province, but also her home for the past 58 years. Its 24 vividly detailed statues of deities inspired Black Myth: Wukong, a hit video game based on the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West.

With the main hall built in 1168, the temple was renovated and expanded during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). It gets its name from the iron Buddha it once housed.

Thanks to the game's popularity, the once-dilapidated temple was restored and opened to the public on Aug 24, according to a notice released by the local cultural heritage protection bureau.