Hu Tao

For Hu Tao, Zhong Li is a consultant at the Wansheng Funeral Home, which she runs, and also one of the most trusted people in her circle.

Working relationships
A subordinate with a special status. Formally, Hu Tao is his superior: she decides how to run the bureau's affairs, while Zhong Li assists with consultations. At the same time, everyone in Liyue understands who is truly behind the traditions of Wansheng: the bureau is closely tied to the legacy of Morax, and Hu Tao is well aware of this. Financial dynamics. There's a funny detail in the lore: Zhong Li often forgets money or spends Mora on his own things, while Hu Tao grumbles about the bureau's expenses. This emphasizes the informal tone of their interactions. Hu Tao trusts Zhong Li more than anyone else. Her story explicitly states that he is the one she truly trusts. For the eccentric and independent Hu Tao, this is a serious admission.
Different approaches, a common goal. Hu Tao acts boldly and creatively, Zhong Li calmly and traditionally. Together, they balance each other: she sets the pace and new ideas, he maintains a connection to the history and order of Li Yue. The bureau's legacy. Zhong Li (as Morax) is the foundation of the very culture of contracts, order, and respect for life and death that underpins Wansheng. Hu Tao preserves and develops these traditions in his own way, and Zhong Li upholds them with his authority.
The contrast of their personalities serves as a support. Her energy and his calmness work as a duet in the lore: he gives her support, she keeps him from becoming frozen in the past.

The Hearts of God (Gnosis). These are special artifacts that connect the archon with Celestia (the supreme power of the world). Some archons own them, others do not, and this greatly affects their position and capabilities. For example, the storylines of Morax and Raiden are directly related to how they relate to their God's Heart.

Archons are powerful deities ruling the regions of Teyvat. Each embodies one of the seven elements (Anemo, Geo, Electro, etc.) and bears a title associated with the ideal upon which their people's lives are built (for example, "God of Freedom" or "God of Eternity"). They are driven by more than just force—each has their own vision of how people should live, and this directly influences the atmosphere and order in their region. Current Archons and Their Regions
There are currently seven known archons in the story, one for each major region:

Barbatos (Anemo Archon) is the ruler of Mondstadt, known as the God of Freedom. He gave Mondstadt its spirit of independence and dislikes strict control.
Morax (Geo Archon)—aka Zhong Li, the former ruler of Liyue, the God of Contracts and Commerce. He established the cult of order, bargaining, and reliability in Liyue. Raiden Ei (Electro Archon)—ruler of Inazuma, the God of Eternity. Her ideal is constancy and perseverance, which is why the "God's Eye Hunt" decree was in effect in Inazuma for a long time.
Nahida (Dendro Archon) is a Lesser Deity of Wisdom, ruling Sumeru. Knowledge and understanding are paramount to her, though she tries not to impose her will.
Furina (Hydro Archon) is the ruler of Fontaine, the Goddess of Justice and Theater. Her reign was closely tied to courts and public trials; her story is one of the most dramatic in the lore. Murata (Pyro Archon) is less known: she is the Goddess of War, and under her protection, Natlan lives by the laws of battle and valor.
The Queen (Cryo Archon) is the ruler of Snow, her motives remain a mystery, but she is collecting the Hearts of the Gods and is clearly preparing a large-scale plan.

Archons are powerful deities ruling the regions of Teyvat. Each embodies one of the seven elements (Anemo, Geo, Electro, etc.) and bears a title associated with the ideal upon which their people's lives are built (for example, "God of Freedom" or "God of Eternity"). They are driven by more than just force—each has their own vision of how people should live, and this directly influences the atmosphere and order in their region. Current Archons and Their Regions
There are currently seven known archons in the story, one for each major region:

Barbatos (Anemo Archon) is the ruler of Mondstadt, known as the God of Freedom. He gave Mondstadt its spirit of independence and dislikes strict control.
Morax (Geo Archon)—aka Zhong Li, the former ruler of Liyue, the God of Contracts and Commerce. He established the cult of order, bargaining, and reliability in Liyue. Raiden Ei (Electro Archon)—ruler of Inazuma, the God of Eternity. Her ideal is constancy and perseverance, which is why the "God's Eye Hunt" decree was in effect in Inazuma for a long time.
Nahida (Dendro Archon) is a Lesser Deity of Wisdom, ruling Sumeru. Knowledge and understanding are paramount to her, though she tries not to impose her will.
Furina (Hydro Archon) is the former ruler of Fontaine, the Goddess of Justice and Theater. Her reign was closely tied to courts and public trials; her story is one of the most dramatic in the lore. Murata (Pyro Archon) is less known: she is the Goddess of War, and under her protection, Natlan lives by the laws of battle and valor.
The Queen (Cryo Archon) is the ruler of Snow, her motives remain a mystery, but she is collecting the Hearts of the Gods and is clearly preparing a large-scale plan.

Business cooperation. Hu Tao made a deal with Furina: she supplied her with props for filming a horror movie inspired by the legends of Li Yue. That is, their interaction was built not as friendship, but as a partnership at work.
Playful tempting. Hu Tao, true to her character, scared Furina with scary stories - so much so that she ran away accompanied by Navia and Clorinda.
Both Furina and Hu Tao became best friends. (Business collaboration. Hu Tao struck a deal with Furina: she supplied her with props for the filming of a horror movie inspired by the Liyue legends. In other words, their interaction was built not on friendship, but on a working partnership.)
Playful teasing. True to her nature, Hu Tao frightened Furina with scary stories—so much so that she ran away, accompanied by Navia and Clorinda.
And Furina and Hu Tao became best friends.

Magical abilities. Hu Tao possesses the Pyro God's Eye, which grants her the ability to manipulate fire. In combat, she wields a spear and combines combat skills with magic: for example, her elemental skill, "Guide to the Afterlife" (the aforementioned "Butterfly Dance"), allows her to enhance her attacks with the Pyro element, sacrificing some of her own health. And her elemental blast, "Spirit Calming," summons flaming spirits.

Work and the Supernatural. As the bureau's head, Hu Tao doesn't simply organize rituals. She literally walks the line between the world of the living and the world of the dead. Her duties include resolving issues related to supernatural activity, such as dealing with restless spirits or assisting with cremations. Symbolism and detail. The lore is rich in references to Chinese culture. For example, the surname "Hu" is associated with a butterfly, and in Eastern tradition, a butterfly is a symbol of the soul that accompanies the deceased. This echoes her martial art, "Butterfly Dance," which evokes the idea that a spear opens the way to the afterlife, while butterflies connect the two worlds. The plum blossom, which often appears in her image, is also symbolic: in winter, when everything dies, the plum blossoms—a symbol of resurrection.

The heir apparent. Hu Tao is the 77th manager of the Wansheng Funeral Home. She inherited the position at a young age after her grandfather's death. Although those around her were initially hesitant (she performed her first funeral on her own at 13—and everyone was on edge!), the business improved over time: under her leadership, funerals became more dignified, and the residents of Liyue began to take a slightly more relaxed attitude toward the topic. Relationships with other characters. She has a rather peculiar connection with Zhong Li: he works as a consultant at the home, and Hu Tao, despite constant teasing, trusts him greatly. However, Hu Tao has a comically tense relationship with Qi Qi: she once seriously considered giving a zombie a "friendly" burial, drawing up a plan and choosing an auspicious day—and only Bai Zhu's intervention stopped the process. She is also friends with Xiang Ling: she enjoys scaring her, but also helps her with the ingredients. Duality of character. On the one hand, Hu Tao acts like a mischievous child: she loves to play pranks and composes scandalous poems (earning her the nickname "the poetess of the dark alleys"—her works quickly spread throughout Liyue). She can suddenly disappear to pet the stone lions outside the Civil Affairs Department and even give them names ("Kitty-Kitty" and "Meow-Meow"). On the other hand, when it comes to her work, she is serious and responsible. She sincerely strives to ensure the safe passage of the souls of the dead to the afterlife and to arrange dignified, respectful farewells for the living.

Face and Eyes. Hu Tao has fair skin, thin, slightly arched eyebrows, and small, natural-toned lips. Her most striking feature is her bright red eyes, which have a unique pattern: the pupils resemble flowers (sometimes described as "floral" or "plum"). To fully capture her look in cosplay, she often wears colored contact lenses with the same pattern. Hairstyle. She has long, dark brown hair, pulled back into two high pigtails, separated by a zigzag parting. The ends of her hair gradually transition to scarlet (an ombre effect). Her bangs are swept to the side, and the strands around her face are styled: the front strands are curled inward, while the back strands are curled outward. A few more shoulder-length strands are left loose in front of her ears.

Clothing. Her signature style is a combination of dark tones with red and gold accents. She usually wears a red shirt with a stand-up collar (sometimes called a "tangerine" collar).
A dark jacket (sometimes described as dark brown or black) of a traditional style. It features long tails decorated with golden-red patterns (flowers, waves), as well as red and gold trim along the edges.
Black shorts with gold inserts.
White mid-calf socks with red plum blossom straps wrapped around the cuffs. Black low-heeled dress shoes.
The hat. This is one of the most recognizable details of her image. Hu Tao wears a black porkpie-style hat (with a flat crown and a narrow, upturned brim). It is decorated with various details: a wooden talisman, a branch of red plum blossoms, and an indigo tassel tied in a loop knot. Incidentally, this hat was a gift from her grandfather. Small details. Hu Tao wears several rings (on the ring finger of her left hand, the thumb of her right hand, and the index and middle fingers). She also wears a loose red bracelet on her right hand, which she often hides under a long sleeve. Her nails are painted black.