Mortal Kombat and Chinese Myths

Looking at the Mortal Kombat franchise, here are some examples of Chinese mythology in action.  They are as I see it and this is just an IFFY post:

The places:
  • The concepts of having different realms such as Heaven, Earth, Hell, Order, Chaos, Outworld and Edenia.
  • Hell is divided into eighteen sections based on Chinese mythology.  The chamber of grinding and the chamber of dismemberment were shown in Mortal Kombat Deception.

The characters:
  • The way the Elder Gods are seem to display it from Chinese mythology.
  • Raiden although his name was derived from a Japanese god called Raijin, his appearance looks more like a Buddhist/Taoist god instead.  The same treatment was given to Fujin.  Apparently Raiden's character is based on the Chinese lightning god Erlang Shen.
  • Shinnok the fallen elder god is apparently inspired by Yang Wang, the fallen elder god in Journey to the West who was condemned to the Netherworld for rebellion against the Elder Gods.
  • Bo Rai Cho resembles Sha Wujing, both being obese and drunk characters.
  • Shujinko resembles Sun Wukong's mentor Subhuti in appearance.  Too bad though, Sun Wuukong never appeared in Mortal Kombat.
  • Dairou's appearance somewhat resembles the Chinese god Erlang Shen in some incarnations.
  • Onaga the dragon king was apparently inspired by Nezha's archenemy the Dragon King who later fought Sun Wuukong and his friends after he was reincarnated.
  • The sorcerer Shang Tsung was apparently inspired by the shapeshifting sorcerer in Journey to the West who held a dragon girl captive.
  • Scorpion's scenario is apparently the rule of an undead spirit who cannot be quenched.  Such beings exist not only in Japanese mythology but also in Chinese mythology.
  • The original Kung Lao who Goro slew in battle may have drawn inspiration from the monk Sanzou from Journey to the West.  But that's just opinion though.
  • Shao Kahn may have been inspired by the merciless warlord in Journey to the West who usurped the Dragon King's kingdom.

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