TAIYUAN, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- For years, Yang Liangen saw strangers as a threat.

　　After a series of break-in attempts at a 900-year-old temple in north China's Shanxi Province, Yang moved into the compound in 1997, sleeping behind its gates and guarding its rare sculptures and wooden structures.

　　Nearly three decades later, he eagerly waits for strangers to arrive. "We used to be afraid when people came," Yang said. "Now we hope they will come."

　　Located in Xiaonan Village in Jincheng City, Erxian Temple fully opened to the public in 2024 as interest in Shanxi's ancient architecture surged following the release of "Black Myth: Wukong," a blockbuster Chinese video game.

　　During China's National Day holiday that year, Yang counted 1,280 visitors in a single day -- a record for a site whose gates had long been kept mostly shut. The crowds have continued to grow, with more than 4,300 people visiting the temple from Oct. 1 to 3 this year.

　　The change at Erxian Temple reflects a broader shift across China, as growing interest in cultural tourism brings new attention to historic buildings that for decades were little known beyond their local communities.

　　Tourists visit Foguang Temple in Xinzhou City of north China's Shanxi Province, July 15, 2026. (Xinhua/Xu Xiaoxuan)

　　Built in 1097, Erxian Temple is a major national cultural heritage site. Its main hall is known for rare Song Dynasty (960-1279) painted sculptures and an exceptionally well-preserved miniature wooden architectural structure known locally as the "sky bridge."