ZhongVen

ZhongVen is the slash ship between Zhongli and Venti from the Genshin Impact fandom.

Canon
Zhongli is the Geo Archon of Liyue and Venti is the Anemo Archon of Mondstadt. They are the last remaining members of the original Seven Archons, and have been good friends since all the original Seven Archons were alive.

They now hide their identities as mere mortals since they are Archons and the two last remaining of the original Seven. The "visions" that they wear in their appearances are fake. However, they do behave as actual visions even if they’re fake.

Lore
In Zhongli's Story 5, Venti is mentioned. When Barbatos first came to Liyue, the Anemo Archon tossed a wine bottle at Morax and said "Here's some wine from Mondstadt. Care for a taste?" Morax thought to forsake one's duty to deliver a single bottle of wine was preposterous. Venti continued to visit afterwards to explore Liyue Harbor, until “Nor did the wind ever return to his side again”.

In Venti's Story, Where The Wind Doth Not Blow, it's mentioned that Venti learnt to forge Zhongli's signature to play pranks on him.

The  Windward Manor  furniture description mentions that a certain bard (Venti) had visited another adeptus' abode recently, causing Madame Ping and Tubby to arrange the Mondstadt-style mansion. Zhongli is an adeptus that Venti is well-acquainted with so the description implies that Venti visited Zhongli's abode.

The Wings of Shimmering Galaxy glider lore mentions that during a performance, Venti spilt wine on Zhongli's head. Zhongli praises Venti's performance, describing it as indeed unmatched throughout the land but he warns that the next time Venti gets drunk and spills wine on his head, he will be angry.

Voicelines
In Venti's Voiceline about Zhongli, Venti asks the Traveler if they had seen that gentleman Zhongli around. He seems surprised to learn that he is living as a human now. Venti calls him an old block-head and tells the Traveler to come with him to see him as he has a vintage, dug up from Windrise that he can take as a condolence gift. Venti asks the Traveler if Zhongli still seemed strong when the Traveler saw him. Venti wonders if Zhongli is strong enough that he is likely to get blown away if he visits him. In the Chinese voiceline, Venti also asks “ 他近来还好吗?” which means “How has he been?”.

In Zhongli's voice line about Venti, Zhongli is able to tell that Venti has passed through the area because it reeks of wine. Zhongli says that Venti is a drunkard and a disgrace to the arts. However, unlike in the English voice lines, the Chinese voice lines imply that Zhongli spent six hours trying to find Venti, and then beat him up for making the Traveler drunk. Zhongli then came back to brew tea for the Traveler.

Archon Quest
In Farewell, the Archaic Lord, Zhongli mentions that a friend of his from Mondstadt would always bring a few bottles of locally brewed dandelion wine whenever he came to visit Zhongli in Liyue. This heavily implies that the friend of his, is Venti as Venti's favorite drink is Dandelion Wine, and he is from Mondstadt. Zhongli's 5th character story confirms that Venti used to bring Zhongli wine every time he visited him.

Lantern Rite 2023 Epilogue
Zhongli and Venti interacted on screen for the first time in the Lantern Rite 2023 Epilogue quest. Hu Tao organized a banquet to celebrate lantern rite at Xinyue Kiosk, and Zhongli was one of the guests. Venti saw everyone enter the venue but Zhongli deliberately ignored him to tease him. Venti later joins the banquet as well but Zhongli and him pretend to have just met. Venti brings up the rumors he’s heard about Zhongli, that he’s a courteous man who ordered tea instead of wine at the tavern. This is a reference to the 2.7 Bartending event, where Zhongli visited a bar in Mondstadt. In response to this, Zhongli says that he’s heard rumors about him too, that he’s “elegant and amiable, his works witty and vibrant” and even says that it’s no overstatement to call him the best bard in all of Mondstadt. Venti reacts by saying he’s embarrassed by the praise.

In the middle of the quest, they are seen talking alone as NPCs. Zhongli says that it seems that Venti is a wine expert. Venti claims that he deserves no such praise, and that Zhongli’s expertise is far greater. Venti is relieved that everyone is drinking tea instead of wine, because he fears that he may get drunk and embarrass himself in front of everyone, that he doesn’t want to be the “object of ridicule to someone he’s just met”. Zhongli says that he wouldn’t dare to disrespect Director Hu Tao’s guest.

At the end of the quest, Hu Tao proposes that the most distinguished person present at the gathering should light the incense to mark the end of the gathering. To this, Venti proposes that Zhongli should be the one to light the incense. He says that talking to the wise Zhongli has been an eye-opening experience, even though Venti has traveled all around the world.

Quote
"As time passed, many of The Seven's titles changed hands, and only two remain of the first Seven: Rex Lapis and the Anemo Archon. The carefree Barbatos, the Anemo Archon, is the second eldest of The Seven. When Barbatos first came to Liyue, Rex Lapis believed his fellow archon to have encountered some terrible crisis in pursuit of their duties, thus requiring his aid.  So when Barbatos descended in a gust of wind, the Geo Archon had already prepared himself to receive this neighboring deity and lend what help he may. But as he looked, the Anemo Archon tossed a wine bottle at him.  'Here's some wine from Mondstadt. Care for a taste?'  To forsake one's duty to deliver a single bottle of wine — what a preposterous notion!  Yet the Anemo Archon kept coming to visit, to explore Liyue Harbor, all sorts of strange questions on his lips. The Anemo Archon's questions knew as little limits as the wine in his hands."

- Zhongli's Character Story 5 "Tsk... It reeks of wine. That bard has just been through here, hasn't he ? That drunkard is a disgrace to the arts. Oh... Has he tricked you into getting drunk ? You're slurring a little. Wait a moment, I'll brew a pot of sobering tea. It'll be ready in only six hours, so just wait a moment."

- Zhongli's Voiceline about Venti

"Have you seen that gentleman around? Huh? He's just a normal man by the name of Zhongli now? That must be quite the change for that old block-head. Come with me to see him, will you? I have a vintage I dug up from Windrise that I can take as a condolence gift. Oh, ahh... did he still seem strong when you saw him? How strong? Am I likely to get blown away?"

- Venti's Voiceline about Zhongli

"Even the hardest rocks may be worn down after three thousand years. Nor would the wind ever return again."

- Zhongli's Character Story 5 "They should be friends, they seem to have a good chat! They seem to be celebrating a birthday. So Hilichurl won't bother them~."

- Caption from the 2020 Zhongli Chibi Birthday Art on Twitter

"A friend of mine from Mondstadt would always bring a few bottles of locally brewed dandelion wine whenever he came to visit me in Liyue."

- Zhongli, about Venti, from Chapter I, Act II: Farewell, the Archaic Lord (Archon Quest)

"You should head for Mondstadt's neighboring nation of Liyue. The Geo Archon who reigns there, unlike me, administrates his entire region personally. He only descends once every year to give his divine predictions, which set the direction of Liyue for the rest of that year."

- Venti, about Zhongli, from Prologue, Act III: Song of the Dragon and Freedom (Archon Quest)

"Your performance was indeed unmatched throughout the land. But the next time you get drunk and pour wine on my head, I shall be quite angry."

- Zhongli to Venti, from the 'Wings of Shimmering Galaxy' Lore

"As it turned out, Venti had once practiced the art of forgery in order to play pranks on the Geo Archon, but would never deceive the god of wealth and transactions. Even so, his adeptness would come into play after several hundred years. What a happy coincidence."

- 'Where the Wind Doth Not Blow', from Venti's Lore

"Tubby explained its presence to you thusly: that Madame Ping had arranged for her to prepare this particular villa after hearing that a certain bard had visited another adeptus's abode recently. Seeing as how you are quite familiar with this fellow, you never know when you might need just such a place."

- Mondstadt Mansion: Windward Manor Description

"According to Tubby, a certain adepti with black hair and golden eyes wanted to temporarily change the melody echoing in the Realm Within to match the aesthetic of the tea on the table when he was having a small gathering with his friends in the Realm Within."

- Euphonium Unbound: Winding Description

"Some adepti would record the melodies circulating around Liyue and enjoy them quietly in the Realm Within. Some friendly guests would bring music from neighboring countries so that the adepti could savor the songs of the people when they lived in seclusion."

- Euphonium Unbound: Soaring Description

Fanon
Being the first two archons, only male archons, and only first-generation archons, ZhongVen became a semi-popular ship after Zhongli was found to be Morax. ZhongVen is mostly portrayed as a love-hate relationship in most fanwork, or as an old married couple. Shippers tend to enjoy their polar opposites dynamic and their hidden lore. There are over 1000 works with them as a pair on AO3. The ship is more popular in the Chinese fandom. Its rival ships are ZhongChi and XiaoVen. It's usually shipped with other ships that share lore together such as Beiguang, Taoling, Xingyun, EiMiko and XiaoLumi/Xiaother. Some fans enjoy them in poly ships such as Zhongxiaoven.

Others have also noticed that Xiao looks very similar to the two. His design shows him having dark hair with green and tuquoise streaks, amber-orange eyes, and an Anemo vision. This has caused the Genshin Impact fandom to jokingly state that Xiao is Venti and Zhongli's "son." Another popular fan headcanon is that Hu Tao is Zhongven’s adoptive daughter. Fans have also noticed similarities between Zhongven and WangXian, a canon ship from MDZS, a popular Chinese BL series.

The ship may be regarded as controversial, particularly on TikTok due to the fan misconception that Venti is physically 15, although this has not been stated in the lore. Others believe that their relationship is better off platonically.

Fandom
FAN FICTION

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Trivia

 * Both had their own banner and rerun banner.
 * Both can make their hair glow in combat.
 * Zhongli's chibi birthday art is the only one that doesn't feature the traveler but instead shows him and Venti sharing a drink (as far as the 2020 lineup is concerned).
 * In the Chinese translation of Zhongli's Character Story 5, 他身旁 was used which more accurately translates to "[return] to him/his side." However, this was omitted in the English translation.
 * Venti has a vintage wine buried in Windrise that he was ready to give Zhongli as a "condolence" present.
 * Venti would often visit, inquire about, and explore Liyue Harbor with Zhongli.
 * The ship's signature emojis include 🔶🍃 and ☄️🍃.
 * Venti canonically learned to forge Zhongli's signature to play pranks on him.

Variations

 * Archon Trio refers to the ship between the two and Raiden Ei