Genshin Impact: The Real China Behind Liyue

Beyond the stone gate, the Bishui river spreads over the alluvial plain of Dihua Marsh, a landscape of stone peaks and dense water networks. The developers took the scenery of Yangshuo, near Guilin, as its model. In 2020 Guilin was one of the scenic areas that received in-game teleport waypoints and Statue of the Seven buildings. Real Yangshuo is surrounded by karst peaks and bordered on one side by the Li River.

Location precision: The game marsh is invented; the pin marks Yangshuo, the area the developers named as its model.

Visitor guidance: Yangshuo can be reached by bus or boat from nearby Guilin.

In central Liyue a tributary of the Bishui river forms a lake below the hills: Lühua Pool. It is modelled on the Five-Colour Pond of Huanglong. The offline collaboration began on 17 October 2020. A Geo Archon statue rose at the scenic area's entrance, and Oculi and teleport waypoints appeared at the Five-Colour Pond and other landmarks. The real waters of Huanglong run through yellows, greens, blues and browns.

Location precision: Lühua Pool is a game location; the pin marks the Huanglong scenic area its developers named as the model.

Visitor guidance: The scenic area is in northwest Sichuan.

Liyue's immortals live in seclusion in Jueyun Karst, a land of peaks standing in cloud. The team modelled it on Zhangjiajie's sandstone peak forest, whose thousand-peak landscape and drifting mist felt right for Liyue's Geo element and had a fantasy air. On 23 September 2020 a signing and waypoint unveiling took place in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. The park was recognised as China's first national forest park.

Location precision: Jueyun Karst is a game location; the pin marks the Zhangjiajie park its developers named as the model.

Visitor guidance: The park is in Zhangjiajie, Hunan.

Liyue Harbor is the large seaport on the nation's east coast. For its look the team skipped the imperial palace style often used to stand for China and drew on Fenghuang Ancient Town in western Hunan instead. Fenghuang County has an exceptionally well-preserved ancient town, set among mountains. The harbour had a second model, the Hanging Temple, on the next stop.

Location precision: The harbour is a game city; the pin marks Fenghuang, one of two real places the developers named as its design models.

Visitor guidance: The ancient town is in Fenghuang County, Xiangxi, Hunan.

The second model for Liyue Harbor stands far to the north: the Hengshan Hanging Temple in Shanxi. The developers drew on it together with Fenghuang when designing the port city. The real temple is built into a cliff 75 metres above the ground.

Location precision: The harbour is a game city; the pin marks the Hanging Temple, the second real place named as its design model.

Visitor guidance: The temple is in Shanxi.

In Liyue's lore, an adeptus cut off his own antler to prop up Mount Tianheng after a hostile god damaged it. The stairway up the mountain is modelled on Tianmen Mountain. The real Tianmen Mountain rises in Zhangjiajie, the same Hunan city as the sandstone peaks behind Jueyun Karst.

Location precision: Mount Tianheng is a game location; the pin marks Tianmen Mountain, the model for its stairway.

Visitor guidance: Tianmen Mountain is in Zhangjiajie, Hunan.

Chenyu Vale is a district of Liyue and its landforms were designed from Huangshan's natural scenery. There stands Qiaoying Village, the largest tea-producing area in Teyvat. Real Huangshan is a mountain range in southern Anhui, known for its scenery and its peculiarly shaped granite peaks.

Location precision: Chenyu Vale is a game location; the pin marks the Huangshan range its developers named as the model.

Visitor guidance: Huangshan is in southern Anhui.