Zhongli (Genshin Impact)

Zhongli is a playable character in the action role-playing game Genshin Impact. He is voiced by Keith Silverstein in English, Peng Bo in Chinese, Tomoaki Maeno in Japanese, and Pyo Yeong-jae in Korean. Within the game, he serves as the former supreme ruler of the Chinese-inspired nation of Liyue and the mortal vessel of the Geo Archon, Morax, one of the Seven Archons of Teyvat.

Due to his divine origins, Zhongli acts as somewhat of a mentor to the Traveler, possessing philosophical attributes equivalent to that of famous Chinese philosophers like Confucius and Lao Zi. A key feature regarding his character arc has him giving up his divine status in order to reassure Liyue's citizens that there are those capable of taking his place. As a result, the character has garner critical acclaim from critics and fans, becoming one of the game's most popular characters, in spite of mixed reception regarding his initial gameplay.

Conception and design
Zhongli first appeared as a non-player character in Version 1.0, "Welcome to Teyvat," appearing in Chapter I: Act II, "Farewell, Archaic Lord." miHoYo later announced in the Version 1.1 preview trailer that Zhongli would become a playable character. miHoYo subsequently released a character trailer for Zhongli on November 23, 2020, and a character demo for him on November 30, 2020, titled "The Listener", which showcased his gameplay. He debuted in Version 1.1, "A New Star Approaches", as a playable character, with miHoYo also releasing a dedicated weapon, the Vortex Vanquisher. miHoYo also launched two Story Quests dedicated to him, including the Historia Antiqua Chapter: Act I, "Sal Flore," and Act II, "No Mere Stone."

In the design of the production team, Zhongli is employed at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and was created with the personality of being knowledgeable, elegant, and proficient in matters regarding Liyue. He is also elegant, polite, chivalrous, and humble. Despite being an Archon, he wanders through the streets of Liyue, wanting to witness "its rise and fall" but remaining isolated from its politics. It is revealed at the end of Chapter I: Act III, "A New Star Approaches," that Zhongli was the instigator behind the act's events and the Geo Archon, Morax. Morax was known by many other titles, including the Warrior God, the God of Contracts, and Deus Auri. Prior to Version 1.1's launch, many players and sources had deduced Zhongli's true identity, and the release of the main story "A New Star Approaches," sparked heated discussion amongst players. His name is derived from Zhongli Quan, one of the Eight Immortals of Taoism, while "Morax" is derived from the same name of the Ars Goetia.

Zhongli, as the Archon of Liyue, takes on the form of a slender and handsome adult male. Zhongli has dark brown hair with an orange gradient and golden eyes. His costume combines the elegance of the Western tuxedo with that of the Chinese robe, creating a dynamic of the merger of the East and the West that was neither obtrusive nor that of an elegant hermit. His coat is painted with patterns of dragon scales and phoenix feathers, symbolizing the power of the Emperor of China. It is also adorned with auspicious Fang Sheng patterns and silver-gray Chinese knotting, describing Zhongli's image of a former emperor turned into an hermit within Teyvat. The outfit's main colors are black and brown, giving him a sense of stability and solemnity. The back of his suit is dominated by bright colors and a reworked Fangsheng pattern, and the waist is designed with an anagram to imply "wealth and nobility", giving the character a sense of nobility, yet agility.

Zhongli is voiced by Keith Silverstein in English and Pyo Yeong-jae in Korean. His Chinese voice actor is Peng Bo, who is also the voice of Siegfried Kaslana from Honkai Impact 3rd and one of the voice directors of Genshin Impact. Zhongli's Japanese voice actor is Tomoaki Maeno, who has been the permanent host of the official broadcast program of Genshin Impact, Teyvat Hoso Kyoku (テイワット放送局) since November 30, 2021. He stated in an interview that during his first audition and the character design stage, the production team proposed that he play the role of Zhongli. He described the process of dubbing Zhongli as being initially relatively serious and slow, but small details, such as forgetting to bring his wallet in the game, also prompted a more carefree side from Zhongli. In another interview, Tomoaki described the character's more considerate side and the gradual reveal of it within the game, displaying a sense of intimacy that is drastically different from the divine figure other characters see him as. When discussing difficulties with dubbing the character, Tomoaki cited the balance between his humanity and divinity and the ancient Chinese expressions and dialogue utilized inadvertently. Despite these difficulties, he would state that throughout the dubbing process, he gained a better understanding of his mannerisms and the origins behind them.

Appearances
Zhongli is the mysterious guest of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, who is responsible for assisting in the preparation of its funerals and provides knowledge and support for attributes of the funeral. He is knowledgeable, elegant, and proficient in subjects and matters regarding Liyue. He is also a good friend of, the consultant of the Parlor. In the game, Zhongli often eats and drinks outside, purchases random goods, usually antiques, and writes off the expenses to either Hu Tao or Tartaglia, much to their annoyance. In Chapter I: Act II, "Farewell, Archaic Lord," Tartaglia advises the to become acquainted with Zhongli, as he seeks to give Rex Lapis a proper farewell. In Chapter I: Act III, "A New Star Approaches," the conflict between the Liyue Immortals and the Seven Earthly Rulers is imminent, and the Traveler accepts Zhongli's suggestion to go to the Golden House to prevent Tartaglia from approaching the remains of Morax. After an argument between the Traveler and Tartaglia, the latter discovers that the remains of Morax do not contain a "Gnosis," and realizes that he is alive. He decides to summon the ancient god Osial to force Morax to appear. After defeating Osial with the Adepti, the Liyue Qixing, and Millelith, the Traveler discovers that Morax had not shown up, and turns back to look for Zhongli. However, they stumble upon his meeting with Lady Signora and Tartaglia, and witness the "contract to end all contracts" with the Tsaritsa. Zhongli then leaves Morax and "suspended his death" to abdicate and smoothly transfer power to the Liyue Qixing and the inhabitants of the country.

Within the game, Zhongli is a five-star Geo polearm user. His elemental abilities include being able to summon a stone stele in front of him in short intervals. A longer variant of this ability is able to create a Jade Shield to reduce the resistances of nearby targets, create a shield, and deal damage to opponents. His Elemental Burst has him summon a falling meteor from the sky, causing Geo damage and petrifying afflicted opponents.

Promotion and reception
On December 18, 2023, Genshin Impact released the promotional teaser titled "Gazing Up at Eternity, Looking Down at the World" in collaboration with the Sanxingdui Museum, as well as the creative cultural relics commentary video "Antiquities Experience" and the interactive web page "Ancient Treasures Unearthed". The online activities are themed around Zhongli's dream in perusing and naming Sanxingdui bronzes, with the hints offered by the character to introduce and promote the cultural relics at Sanxingdui. After the video was released, the topic of joint conversation quickly became trending on search results. As of December 20, the collaboration teaser "Gazing Up at Eternity, Looking Down at the World" has been viewed more than 6 million times on Bilibili. Related activities also include offline check-ins to receive gifts within Genshin Impact. A bronze statue of Zhongli was also displayed at the Sanxingdui Museum for visitors to take pictures of.

Jessica Clark Dillon, a reviewer at TheGamer, compared Zhongli's character design to other characters within the game, arguing that his detached exterior design, such as his brown suit and accessories, made him stand out among the rest of the cast. In addition, the article also highlighted the anticipation of the "Archon War" costume, which was yet to be released at the time. In addition, Zhongli's suit design blends Chinese and Western cultures with a tuxedo design in the upper portion and the utilization of traditional Chinese symbols reflecting his rigorous and cheerful personality. The study of Popular Literature and Art, commented that Zhongli showed remarkable imperial constitution and the artistic allure that came with it. It also makes mention of his idle animations and posture, exhibiting a more relaxed and docile traits such as crossing his arms over his chest or resting his chin on his hands which subtly showcased the tranquility the character maintains, even if under dire circumstances. In terms of his movement design during active combat, Zhongli's movements were designed to be sharp, crisp and full of impact. Combined with the movement of his flowing clothes, he creates a visual effect that were comparable to that of flowing clouds which displayed both his martial prowess and the artistic aspects behind them. Ryan Clouse, a columnist for The Nerd Stash, felt that Zhongli deserved to gain more alternate costumes, such as those that had previously appeared in promotional material and artwork. A fan made a fan-made model of his "Archon costume" that appeared in the game trailer, which received popularity among players.

Within his role in the games' context, a study conducted by Tide News points his importance within the games plot, describing about how Zhongli not only serves as the Archon of Liyue, but also led its people to prosperity. Another study of Popular Literature and Art claims that the character and storytelling of Zhongli are ripe with the profound heritage of Chinese culture, citing his age and historical background echoing the Fuxi in ancient Chinese mythology as well as his design subtly harkening to the cultural heritage and the 6,000 year-old historical inheritance of Han culture. In a reflection of a line within his character demo expressing the tumultuous state of Teyvat with his own concerns and aspirations, both studies conclude that it served as a reflection of his chivalrous spirit and concern for the people of Liyue. Research from the Communication University of China believes that Zhongli's personality traits of kindness, chivalry, modesty, and tolerance are in line with the pursuit of the ideal personality of a "gentleman" in traditional Chinese culture. It concludes with describing the characters primary charm as being through the balance between his divinity and humanity and the prominence it gains throughout the games' narrative.

According to the analysis by the Cross-Cultural Communication Research, Zhongli has also garnered worldwide response, interest and discussion outside China. It recounts on how overseas players have expressed their deep adoration for Zhongli's elegant and cultural image. According to the analysis, a possible indication of this could result from the character's appearance and behavior the charm of traditional Chinese culture and is further amplified with the incorporation Western cultural elements. This cultural fusion makes Zhongli a character that attracted the attention of many overseas players. Another potential explanation for this sudden interest is Zhongli's appearance of having a slimer and handsomer figure, becoming a striking contrast with other video game characters that have typically more physically stronger attributes. Because of this, some overseas players believe his character design highlighted the differences regarding masculine character designs. In addition to his appearance, Zhongli's literati temperament, spirit of contract, and deep affection for his family and country have also won the appreciation of overseas players. His profound knowledge, traditional cultural accomplishment in his speech and behavior, and his detailed description of his lifestyle were all regarded by overseas players as being the "perfect Chinese gentleman". Players were also left a strong impression by Zhongli's image of being loyal to the contract with his actions and words show respect for the contract and commitment. The analysis concludes with how his patriotism towards Liyue and his consideration of the interests of its people created an image among players as being an "eternal doting father" and a "wise leader".

In terms of his combat capabilities in the game, Zhongli has undergone a complicated history through each revision of Genshin Impact. Before Version 1.1's release, many players and media outlets had high expectations for the character's strength and abilities. However, after the version's release, players found that Zhongli's gameplay primarily revolved around his defensive capabilities, with his offensive capabilities being notably lacking. Some players pointed out that the character's trailer claimed that his Elemental Burst ability, "Planet Befall" lacked consistency within its prowess, causing dissatisfaction among players. Despite criticisms regarding gameplay, Zhongli was recognized for his use within auxiliary roles, such as the ability to quickly mine minerals. Eventually, miHoYo issued a statement acknowledging the complaints player had with Zhongli's release. His use for mining minerals would become commonplace that a user on Google Maps would submit a location at Manila, North Luzon that was named after the character. Subsequently, his overall strength was buffed in both Version 1.3 and 1.5 of the game. Due to this, Zhongli became one of the highest-rated characters in Genshin Impact not for his strong defensive and offensive capabilities, but also as a all-rounded character who is proficient in support, crowd-control, and damage-per-second.

Eurogamer reviewer Jessica Orr praised Zhongli as one of the strongest five-star characters, with the most practical support abilities in the game. TheGamer writers Sanyam Jain and Vanessa Esguerra praised the supportive and offensive capabilities of the character, giving emphasis on the durability of his Jade Shield and the healing his sixth Constellation unlocks. PCGamesN commentator Christian Vaz praised Zhongli as a strong character in both dealing damage and his supportive capabilities. Screen Rant commentator Lina Hassen praised Zhongli as the strongest Geo element character in the game as well as one of the strongest supportive characters; he has both strong combat abilities and shields, allowing players to engage in combat with less risk. When gathering data for which characters were the most used as of version 3.4, Zhongli would rank second with a 83.6% usage rate.

Since his release as a playable character, Zhongli has enjoyed critical acclaim and popularity from players and fans of Genshin Impact. In July 2023, Japanese media outlet ITmedia launched a poll titled "Players' Favorite Genshin Impact Characters" with Zhongli and Xiao tying for second place, second only to. As of September 2023, Zhongli's character trailer reached nearly 83 million views on Bilibili and YouTube. One Esports has described this as being due to many members within the community going back and watching Zhongli's demo whenever miHoYo releases a new character trailer. On the character's birthday on December 31, 2021, hashtags such as "#Zhongli" and "#鍾離生誕祭2021" trended on X, with fan-art, doujinshi and cosplay being commonplace. A similar phenomenon occurred in 2022, with tags such as "#Zhongli" and "#鍾離生誕祭2022" reaching top trending results. According to Sensor Tower, along with other characters released in tandem, Zhongli set a new record with $15.5 million in revenue when he was first launched. His banner with also became one of the highest grossing banners in the game.