Sumeru in Genshin Impact is generally understood to be inspired by a mix of South Asian, Middle Eastern, and North African cultures, especially ancient India, Persia, and Egypt. Its rainforest side leans more Indian/South Asian, while the desert side pulls more from Egyptian and Persian imagery.

What people usually point to

  • Ancient India: names, motifs, Sanskrit influences, and epic-inspired elements in the rainforest regions.
  • Ancient Egypt: desert architecture, pyramids, tomb imagery, and some character designs.
  • Persia / the Middle East: clothing, architecture, and mythological styling across parts of the region.

Simple way to think about it

Sumeru is not based on one real-world country. It feels more like a blended region built from several historical cultures, with the game using that mix to create the forest-vs-desert contrast.

Why it stands out

The setting was designed around the themes of wisdom , life , and decay , so the cultural references are part of both the story and the visual style.

<meta_description>Genshin Impact’s Sumeru is mainly inspired by ancient India, Persia, and Egypt, with South Asian rainforest influences and Egyptian/Persian desert influences.</meta_description>