[2.5] Beginner's Guide to Genshin Lore - Liyue

**IMPORTANT**
There's been a lot of new information since this video was made that have shifted some events around, and it needs an update. PLEASE take note of the assumptions below and don't take everything in this video as 100% factual.

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If you ever wanted to get into the lore of Genshin Impact but wasn't quite sure where to start, you're in the right place! This Beginner's Guide to Liyue is part of a series of videos where I will be covering the lore of Genshin Impact in a nutshell. Excellent for beginners and new players to get a very quick understanding of kinda complicated histories, and also useful for experienced lore enthusiasts who just want a quick refresher.

This guide is NOT a comprehensive one. It's meant to be used as a framework upon which you can deepen your understanding. Therefore, there are a lot of things left unmentioned.

I have also made a couple of assumptions which will be outlined below.

**TIMESTAMPS**
0:00 Introduction & Disclaimer
1:55 Ancient Liyue
5:55 Guili Assembly
9:50 Liyue Harbor
17:27 Post-Archon War
22:00 Outro

**ASSUMPTIONS**
1) Morax has at least three instances of fighting water-based dragons. The descriptions of each are REALLY similar so it's very difficult to tell if they're all from the same "family," different depictions of the same encounter, or entirely different entities. I'm opting for the latter because there are suggestions about other events in the descriptions of the fights that place them at different times. Also... Qingce(Chi) would be kinda hard to fight multiple times since it was split into pieces and sealed.

2) I'm assuming the Guizhong Ballista has never been moved... if it has then that makes things really confusing. It does say that she placed it at the base of Mt. Tianheng but that's a big mountain so... it could be anywhere.

3) "Old Liyue Harbor" is my assumption based off the description of the battle against Baqiu and the description of Morax's first actions upon his "assignment" to Liyue.

4) I took my best guess at when the events for Marchosias' sacrifice and Xiao's rescue took place. We don't actually know when these events occurred.

**HELPFUL LINKS**
- Morax

- Sea Dragons and other Gods

- Adepti and Yaksha

- Guizhong

- Liyue Harbor

- General

[Ashikai]

**VIDEO NOTES**

- *Amendment:* I failed to mention it in this video, but the founders of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor were also responsible for helping cleanse the lands of plague alongside the Yaksha. I should have at least name-dropped them there, but I didn't because whenever WFP comes up I go on very long theoretical tangents. We'll talk about WFP in another vid, promise. Same for the Exorcists of Liyue.
(truthfully, while we do have Hu Tao and her whole quest to go on, I still don't feel like I know enough about the plagues that time OR the Exorcists.)

- *Correction:* I was unaware of this prior to releasing the video, but some of you in the comments pointed out that there's a translation error in regards to Azhdaha's discovery. I placed him at around 2, 600 years ago, but some of you said that in CN he should have been found closer to 3, 700 years ago. I CANNOT FIND A SOURCE FOR THIS so if you have one, please @ me.

[DonKangolJones]

I know it’s a bit reductive since this video is about all of Liyueto, but Morax threatens to be one of my favourite characters in fiction. I’d gladly watch a movie about him going from young “meat-head” Morax to the wise lead adepti we know as Zhongli. There’s a real character arc there, and even a dark side as well.

[herexcellency]

Guizhong has such an incredible role in liyue history and zhonglis growth, I wish we'll have dedicated event for her or see what she looks like :(

[abababababab]

Yanfei is the best character to tell about every written record of Liyue, so the impersonation really fits.

[magusdarkrider]

I love this series because Genshin's Lore is too scattered for me to piece together properly and this helps me understand it very easily

[icefire]

I love this series, bc I'm too lazy to go find the lore myself, even though I love Genshin lore and plot. Ashikai goated with the sauce.

[moonchildinthesky]

5:44 Based on what the recent archon quest with Makoto, I believe that we'll also help Zhongli open the memory of dust. Hopefully. I can't imagine the Zhongli eroding and not being able to open that. His story is already so painful so I think this will either be a bittersweet closure or just a truly depressing event/story. I AM SO HERE FOR IT.

[Tzen]

I'd just like to point out, "Adeptus" is the singular, "Adepti" is the plural. I also see this mistake when people talk about "-oculus" and "-oculi", Anemoculus, Geoculus, Electroculus, etc.

[harmonialarts]

Ah Liyue... history so fragmented that it was referenced in Zhongli's first story quest. How erosion and people often warp the records of history.

Kinda surprised you don't reference the fact that the Hu clan/Wungsheng Funeral Parlour were the ones responsible for quelling the plagues while the Yaksha dealt with the dead gods and curses. I think its note worthy because Zhongli chose to work for them most likely because of their history, capability of working with the supernatural and their sense of boundaries. But I understand that its diving into the more comprehensive/specific side of history rather than general history. Just thought there was a lack of acknowledgement on the human contributions on the history of Liyue like the Exorcists and the Millileth.

[Zarozian]

In terms of lore there was way too much in Liyue. This was very well done. Everyone should like and subscribe.

[rafaelmoll]

Again, Ashikai doing everything. Really nice paced storytelling. Keep them coming!!! Loving the series so far

[BitSharkGames]

Guizhong has such a significant role in the lore and I really wish we could meet her :(

[Creed]

I'm really thinking that after guizhong gone. Most likely Cloud Retrainer is the one who guide Zhongli, even Zhongli admit her as his teacher.

[gimbo]

awesome video! i’d like to point out that adeptus is a title given to one that has made a contract to protect Liyue, with Rex Lapis. It isn’t a category of beings, like illuminated beasts or dragons. Ganyu is half human, half qilin, but she is still an adeptus since she made a contract with Rex Lapis. I believe her “adeptal lineage” talked about in her story quest is a mistranslation, and references more her illuminated beast side. This is similar to how Yanfei’s father is an adeptus, but Yanfei is not, since she hasn’t made a deal with Rex Lapis, but she’s still half-illuminated beast. And through her work as a lawyer, she’s considered an “honorary adeptus” to some.
Qiqi uses adeptal arts, techniques used by illuminated beasts and adepti, but she is not considered one herself.
It’s a little bit confusing, but I thought it was worth mentioning.
Morax is the “Prime of the Adepti” because he is the leader, and the Archon, the most important protector of Liyue.

[kazooboi]

at the start when u assumed that the old liyue harbour was most likely at the current harbour's location. i think there's also reason to speculate that old liyue harbour could have been further inland. in the liyue section of the teyvat travel guides, Alice had speculated that jueyun karst was initially submerged underwater (suggesting that zhongli had raised the earth in some form). Zhongli, who was accompanying her as a guide through jueyun karst, didn't confirm or deny this speculation but alice's recounting of the event suggests he was at least amused by Alice's statement. just something to think about :) I love ur videos!! thank you for all the great lore content <3

[zen]

Memory of Dust

"This is the mark of our pledge, and it is also my challenge to you."
"All my wisdom is hidden within this stone dumbbell."

He remembers meeting the young woman with the billowing sleeves, remembers the way she acted solemn, yet seemed joyful when she presented him this token.
What a silly notion. There was no formal contract between them. They were merely two people walking the same path for their own reasons...
But he remembers the scene of their first meeting anyway, when the Glaze Lilies were still in abundant bloom.
He also remembers those words she spoke at the end — again, amid the Glaze Lilies.

"Those little people are as small and fragile as dust."
"Because they are so small, they know not when they will lose their lives to disaster or strife, and so they are afraid."
"Because they are afraid, they try so hard to become more intelligent. This I understand."
"So I thought that since there is such a gulf between us in strength, I should use technique and wisdom instead."
"With your brawn and my brains, this city would surely become a great one."

Her final smile was a lonely one, even as her form dissolved into the finest dust.

"It seems that our journey together has come to an end. As for that stone dumbbell, forget about it, would you?"
"This is the mark of our pledge, and it is also my challenge to you."
"All my wisdom is hidden within this stone dumbbell."
"If you can unlock it—"

Many years passed, and he was never able to unlock that dumbbell, nor would he ever learn what might have followed that sentence.
Over the years, the wild Glaze Lilies, too, dwindled till at last they were no more.

[moonedrobin]

Wow Liyue really has a long history. I wonder if we'll ever get to see the yakshas or even witness these past events

[danunu]

I just realized something and thank you so much for your Mondstatd, and Liyue Lore summaries that I saw a parallel between Decarabian and Havria. Both wanted to protect their people, by their own ways but these people they had cherished eventually killed them back.

I just can't fault the two gods doing those things such as creating a wind barrier or creating an underground city, they really meant good will so seeing how they ended up, I just feel sad. I think until now Decarabian is still a Tyrant King from Mondstatders while Havria had her small peace from her remaining believers but on the wrong perspective.

[KanagJ]

Correction: There were more yakshas than only the 5 you mentioned. We met one of them, Pervaces. The 5 yakshas you mentined were the top5, the very best of the best.

[Yoshimitsuzero]

Wow.... They weren't kidding when they say Morax put down lots of Gods back then. Back in his day he wasn't just any God to f*** with.