Guili

Guili is the het ship between Guizhong and Zhongli from the Genshin Impact fandom.

Canon
Guizhong and Zhongli have known each other before the Archon War — the two are both gods, Guizhong the God of Dust, and Zhongli the God of Contracts. The two first met in Dihua Marsh, in a garden of glaze lilies. Guizhong showed Zhongli her stone dumbbell, the Memory of Dust, hardly suppressing her joy.

After their meet, the two eventually became allies, in which Guizhong's intelligence complemented Zhongli's prowess. On certain occasions, they would eat meals together with the Adeptus, Cloud Retainer, and the Stove God, Marchosius, on top of Mt. Aocang. The two gods founded the Guili Assembly together, named after a combination of the names they used at the time. However, the Archon War began soon afterwards as monsters and evil gods emerged.

Guizhong and Zhongli, along with most Adepti, fought to protect the people of the Guili Assembly. Sadly, Guizhong was killed during the war 3,700 years before the events of the game. She died amongst Glaze Lilies, which were the same flowers in the garden she and Zhongli met; she had smiled at Zhongli and told him to forget about the dumbbell, lamenting the end of their journey together. Guizhong's body had dissolved into dust after she died, and the Guili Assembly was destroyed in a massive flood. Zhongli relocated the people to Liyue Harbor, where he taught them how to build homes.

Guizhong was fond of flowers, particularly Glaze Lilies. Glaze Lilies were a key element to the Rite of Parting, as Guizhong was a dear friend to Zhongli. In Zhongli's official birthday art, he can be seen holding a bouquet of flowers, and in the bouquet, Glaze Lilies were included.

Memory of Dust
The Memory of Dust is a catalyst weapon in the game that was released on the weapon banner in Zhongli's May 2021 re-run. Guizhong had challenged Zhongli to open the weapon, which contained her wisdom. In the description of the weapon, Zhongli was said to still have not learned how to open the dumbbell. Guizhong is said to have forged the catalyst herself, and the description goes into greater detail about Guizhong and Zhongli's first and last meeting.

Guizhong first met Morax and was described as having billowing sleeves, and seeming rather solemn. Yet, she appeared joyful when meeting Morax in the future Dihua Marsh when the Glaze Lilies were in bloom and presented the Memory of Dust as an emblem of their pledge as they'd go on to establish the Guili Assembly together. It would also mention that, despite being a reminder of their pledge, neither formed a formal contract with each other and chose to walk the same path of their own accord. She'd go on to acknowledge that, despite the gulf between them in strength, that with her knowledge and wisdom and Morax's strength, they could rule as the brains and brawn to protect the Guili Assembly.

However, upon her final moments, she urged him to forget the challenge she'd presented to him to unlock the Memory of Dust and lamented that their journey together had come to an end.

Stone Tablet Compilations, Vol. 1
Within the Stone Tablet Compilations, it reads as follows: Guizhong, the Lord of Dust, was an ally to the Lord of Rock. Around Mt. Tianheng, Guizhong set up a Crossbow to keep guard, and it was named the "Guizhong Ballista." She brought her people to the north of Mt. Tianheng and taught them to tend the soil. Agriculture became their livelihood, and all prospered from it. The farming towns stretched for miles, and it was said that one could walk all the way to Stone Gate without ever leaving the network of pathways between the fields. Guizhong said to the Lord of Rock: "My people had left their home and came to this place. Here, they are happy in their abodes and content in their work, thus it is as if they have returned home. Hence, what better name to call this place than 'the Plains of the Returning and Departing?'" The Lord of Rock praised the Lord of Dust for her work, and thereafter the area was named in the tongue of Liyue "Guili Plains."

It later came to pass that the gods each strove for dominance, which brought catastrophe upon the land. Though the adepti fought to protect the Guili Plains, they could not stop the tide of war, which ravaged the plains and took the life of its ruler, Guizhong. Thereupon, the Lord of Rock Rex Lapis took his people south of Mt. Tianheng. Thus the people departed from the Guili Plains for good, never to return, and it was left to become a wilderness.

Treasure Lost, Treasure Found
Within the World Quest (Treasure Lost, Treasure found), a researcher from Sumeru named Soraya find several inscriptions on sites within the former Guili Assembly that read: "In the beginning, when the people assembled to farm the land... A god named Guizhong descended, whose dominion was over Dust, and whose reach shrouded the skies for thousands of miles around. The god laid down four commandments for the people... Then another god descended, whose dominion was over Geo, and who brought the people of Liyue to this place. Jointly they shepherded the people for their protection. And the assembly was named Guili after the names of the two gods. It seems to be about the history of the Guili Assembly. And a god with power over dust, who watched over this place. But it also mentions another god who came here at some point, and even brought some of their people with them.

"Also, it seems to be saying that the name 'Guili', as in Guili Assembly, came about by taking one syllable each from the names of these two gods. How fascinating. In all the documents I've ever read, I've never come across any mention of two gods who coexisted peacefully... let alone who actively worked together. It seems they were more than two allied gods — they were best friends."

Customs of Liyue, Vol. 4: Glaze Lily
Although officially retconned from ever appearing in-game, the volume presents another intimate angle of Guizhong and Zhongli's relationship. While it dives into familiar points established several times, it goes on to describe a time "during an innocent age" when Guizhong covered Zhongli's eyes playfully and after removing them, scattered Glaze Lily seeds across the Guili Plains that became the myth behind their conception. To the pair's laughter and recitation of poetry, they would cultivate the blooms together that respond to song.

The pair were described as strolling together among the Glaze Lilies, and it was this way that he began to understand humanity better. Further on, Zhongli was described as her "beloved friend" and that "the wisdom of dust can soften even a heart of stone." Yet, the playfulness of the two was dismissed as nothing more than a "romantic tale", which bolsters there being potential romantic feelings between them and in the eyes of those who remember them.

'Echoes of the Heart' PV and 3.4 Lantern Rite
During the 3.4 Lantern Rite, a story teaser called 'Echoes of the Heart' was released that centered on Guizhong and her relationships with Morax and Adepti like Madam Ping and Cloud Retainer. During the episodic PV, it displayed familiar sights such as Morax, Guizhong, and Cloud Retainer sharing seats at their table on Mt. Aocang and a matter where she and Cloud Retainer got into a friendly spat over which devices would be best for the defense of the Guili Assembly. Bringing Morax in as an impartial judge, he wound up choosing what would later be known as the Guizhong Ballista over Cloud Retainer's invention.

In another scene, acting as a mediator between Guizhong and Madam Ping's squabble over Guizhong's Cleansing Bell being used as an instrument over Madam Ping's zither, Morax confiscated the Cleansing Bell and reserved it for ceremonial use only.

Lastly, Morax and the other Yakshas as well as Cloud Retainer and Madam Ping are shown at the Guili Plains in the aftermath of Guizhong's death. There, the Yakshas are shown sealing an unknown entity while Morax looks on, presumably in shock. Given the description of this event is described in her Memory of Dust, Morax's face not being shown could imply the immense grief he must've felt upon arriving before he could save her from her untimely death.

As Guizhong was a centered focus of discussion during the 3.4 Lantern Rite, in the epilogue did Zhongli mention meeting with Soraya, the scholar who'd been studying the Guili Assembly in the World Quest 'Treasures Lost, Treasures Found', he affirmed that much of what she'd found "is already very close to the truth" and that there "are many sides to gods and humans alike". Further, humans who recorded their memories found that "some gods were depicted as arrogant and condescending, while others were kind and capable" which could likely reference himself before Guizhong's positive influence on his character, and Guizhong herself.

One thing fans noted is that, because of Guizhong's positive influence on the Guili Assembly and Adepti, some of their numbers like Zhongli himself and Madam Ping were influenced to live among mortals as mortals. Such was the powerful effect her character had on people like them.

Quotes
"What a silly notion. There was no formal contract between them. They were merely two people walking the same path for their own reasons..."

- Memory of Dust, description

"How fascinating. In all the documents I've ever read, I've never come across any mention of two gods who coexisted peacefully... let alone who actively worked together... It seems they were more than two allied gods — they were best friends."

- Soraya, a researcher from Sumeru, in World Quest "Treasure Lost, Treasure Found"

"The elderly of Liyue tell of a legend: in that innocent age, and seized by a sudden desire to make mischief, the crafty Guizhong put her hands over the Lord of Geo's eyes and, laughing as she did so, released glittering blue seeds from her long sleeves, scattering them over the Guili Plains. Then, to the gentle sound of laughter and poetry from the two God-Kings, sparkling, glaze-like, blue flowers began to burst into bloom across the upper reaches of the countryside. [...] Perhaps the legend of this beautiful flora, and its origins in the playfulness of the gods all those millennia ago, is nothing more than a romantic tale."

- Unreleased content from "Customs of Liyue, Volume 4: Glaze Lily"

Fanon
Some Guili shippers imagine Ningguang being the incarnation of Guizhong, which brings the ship Zhongguang. Others prefer to ship Guili on its own instead of bringing other ships into it. The ship's main rival is ZhongChi, a ship between Zhongli and Tartaglia, and ReZhong, the pairing between Azhdaha and Zhongli; on Guizhong's end, the pairing is rivaled by Guiping. Guili is a moderately popular ship for Zhongli but still growing amongst social media platforms. Fan art between these two mainly contain angsty themes with Zhongli holding onto Guizhong as she's dying. On Ao3, there's currently 740+ works and counting.

Some shippers also like to entertain the idea that Xiao is their biological or adoptive son in some fanon works due to many seeing Zhongli and Xiao's relationship as platonic and sometimes familial. In others, the contrasts between their personalities is often showcased, with Guizhong being the more social and kind half while Zhongli is often portrayed as his past self as aloof and mean, but tempered by Guizhong who keeps him in check. Some even like works where Guizhong survives, is brought back, or otherwise lives into the modern day where her reunion with Zhongli takes a center stage.

Another aspect fans have called to attention is the similar aesthetics Guizhong and Zhongli have now that her appearance has been officially revealed. Not only did she and Morax have primarily white outfits they wore, they possess complementary warm and cool color schemes. In addition, their hairstyles mirror one another; both have short layered hair with a single long, slim ponytail held fast by similar hair ornaments. While Guizhong has ashy brown hair with powder blue tips, Zhongli's is a dark, chestnut brown that's almost black with warm orange tips.

Fandom
FAN FICTION

TUMBLR

TWITTER
 * Daily Guili: @dailyguili
 * Guili Quotes: @guiliquote
 * Guili Week 2022: @guiliweek21_22
 * Guili Week 2022: @guiliweek21_22

DISCORD
 * GuiLi Garden on Discord

Trivia

 * Zhongli's vast knowledge and refined mannerisms at present are believed by fans to be the result of Guizhong's influence, as she was the "brains" to his "brawn."
 * It is likely that Primordial Jade Cutter, which Morax carved as a gift for "a certain someone," was intended for Guizhong before her untimely death. In its description, "when tender feelings are [...] reduced to dust on the wind" is a nod towards the way Guizhong's body dissipated into dust upon her death, and precedes the line about how Morax would proceed to use the sword to cut down his former friends.