Zhongli (Chinese: 钟离; pinyin: Zhōnglí) is a character in the video game Genshin Impact, developed by miHoYo. In the game's lore, on the surface, he is a consultant for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor in the fictional nation of Liyue, knowledgeable in funeral rites and responsible for assisting with funeral arrangements. In reality, he is also the Geo Archon Morax, the former ruler of Liyue and one of the seven deities who govern the nations of Teyvat, the game's world. Zhongli appears in the first chapter of the game's main storyline following its release in 2020. He would become a playable character later that year. Zhongli's portrayal and themes of composure and dignity have received positive reviews from critics. However, during his initial release, Zhongli faced widespread criticism for his weak performance in combat. He only gained a more favorable reception after the developers significantly revised his design.
Design and voice acting 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 changpao, creating a dynamic merge of the East and West that is neither obtrusive nor that of an elegant hermit. His coat is painted with patterns of loong (Chinese dragon) scales and fenghuang feathers. His outfit is also adorned with auspicious Fangsheng patterns (traditional patterns from the Han dynasty era composed of two rhombus horns overlapping each other) and silver-gray Chinese knotting. 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 and agility at the same time. TheGamer theorized that his name may be derived from Zhongli Quan, one of the Eight Immortals of Taoism. Zhongli is voiced by Keith Silverstein in English and Pyo Yeong-jae in Korean. His Chinese voice actor is Peng Bo. Zhongli's Japanese voice actor is Tomoaki Maeno. Maeno 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 said that Zhongli's voice acting was initially serious and slow, but small details such as forgetting to bring his wallet in the game created a more carefree side of Zhongli. In another interview, Maeno described the character's more considerate side and how it was gradually revealed within the game, which he said displayed a sense of intimacy that was drastically different from the divine figure that some other characters see him as. Maeno stated that the balance between Zhongli's humanity and divinity and the ancient Chinese expressions was difficult to dub. However, he added that throughout the dubbing process, he gained a better understanding of Zhongli's mannerisms and the origins behind them.
Appearances
Story Zhongli is described as an employee of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, responsible for assisting in the preparation of its funerals. He is knowledgeable, elegant, and proficient in subjects and matters regarding Liyue. Despite having no money of his own, Zhongli spends lavishly in his daily life and often charges his expenses to either the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor or his friend Tartaglia, much to the frustration of the parlor's director, Hu Tao, and Tartaglia himself. When the protagonist Traveler visits Liyue to meet the Geo Archon, they witness his apparent death and soon become suspected of causing it. Tartaglia saves the Traveler from arrest and advises them to seek help from Liyue's adepti to prove their innocence. Later, he introduces the Traveler to Zhongli, who agrees to help them approach Morax's remains. Zhongli first asks for the Traveler's help in organizing the funeral ceremony known as the "Rite of Parting" for Morax. During this time, the Traveler clears their name but realizes that Tartaglia has been manipulating events from behind the scenes, using them as a pawn to provoke conflict between Liyue's adepti and its leaders. They confront Tartaglia in the Golden House, where he attempts to uncover the Geo Archon's remains. Upon discovering that the body lacks a Gnosis, a divine object possessed by gods, Tartaglia realizes that Morax is actually alive. In a desperate move to draw him out, Tartaglia summons the ancient sea monster Osial, a god once defeated by Morax. With the combined efforts of the adepti, Liyue Qixing, and security forces, the Traveler helps subdue Osial; Morax, however, does not reappear. Afterward, when the Traveler seeks out Zhongli, they learn the truth: Zhongli is, in fact, Morax himself. He had faked his death to relinquish his rule over Liyue and transfer authority to its people. Zhongli also reveals that he had entered into a deal with the ruler of Snezhnaya and has surrendered his Gnosis as part of that agreement.
Gameplay As a playable character, Zhongli is a five-star Geo polearm user. His elemental abilities include being able to summon a stone stele in front of him. 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.
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