Zhong Kui is a figure from Chinese folklore, usually traced to a Tang dynasty legend: a scholar treated unjustly who becomes, after death, a subjugator of ghosts serving the underworld. In art he appears as a fierce judge wielding a sword, escorted by captive spirits.[5]
Door paintings and New Year prints of Zhong Kui were traditionally used to ward off evil, and the character appears across opera, literature and games — which makes him a natural protagonist for Game Science's supernatural action RPG.[5]
The legend
In the best-known telling, emperor Xuanzong dreamed of a small ghost stealing a flute and a embroidered shoe, then saw a large figure in a tattered robe capture and eat the thief. Told it was the failed examination candidate Zhong Kui, the emperor ordered his portrait painted — the origin of the household talisman tradition.[5]
Why he fits the Black Myth universe
Like Wukong, Zhong Kui is public-domain mythology rather than licensed IP, and his ghost-hunting office supplies a built-in bestiary of demons and spirits — the same formula that let Black Myth: Wukong turn Journey to the West chapters into boss encounters.[1][5]
Sources & verification
Facts last checked Nov 4, 2026. Checking a source does not change the page’s update date.
- 游戏科学拜个早年：黑神话：钟馗 6分钟实机小短片（官方B站账号） Game Science · official · Published 2026-02-10 · Checked Nov 4, 2026
Official Spring Festival gameplay short on the Black Myth Bilibili account.
Original language: zh-CN - 黑神话钟馗全解析（B站专题页） Bilibili · reference · Checked Nov 4, 2026
Platform topic page aggregating official videos and coverage of the August 2026 demo.
Original language: zh-CN - Game Science — Wikipedia Wikipedia community · reference · Checked Nov 4, 2026
Background reference for the studio and the Black Myth series.
Original language: en - Zhong Kui — Wikipedia Wikipedia community · reference · Checked Nov 4, 2026
Reference for the folklore background of the protagonist.
Original language: en
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