[Xingqiu Cosplay] Liyue Elegance by the Waters of West Lake

Arriving at the shores of West Lake for the first time, the surrounding weeping willows and reflecting blue-green waves amidst the beautiful scenery of West Lake perfectly align with the festive atmosphere of this Lantern Rite.

This Xingqiu look overall features dark blue, black, and gold as its primary color palette, blending Traditional Chinese style cosplay elements with the character's inherent aura. To suit this offline collaboration between Genshin Impact and West Lake, we deliberately avoided modern commercial architecture during location scouting, opting instead for this waterscape area imbued with classical garden aesthetics, making the character seem truly immersed in Liyue's misty rain.

The wig uses a peacock blue color, with the ends trimmed in layered, soft strands that offer a natural fluffiness and flow when blown by a gentle breeze. The golden tassel earring dangling on the left is a highlight, adding dynamic flair during side-profile shots. As for makeup, the eyeshadow was chosen in warm orange tones that complement the character's style, crafting eyes that look deep yet clear, while the lip shade was applied in a natural nude-orange adapted to lighting conditions—photogenic without clashing with the wig or costume colors.

The standing collar of the costume fits snugly around the neck, embellished along the edges with golden cloud and thunder patterns, while the cyan gem on the chest is embedded within a delicate metallic openwork frame, fixed in place after multiple alignment adjustments. The cuffs feature wide white water-sleeve designs, a fabric that creates elegant curves whether hanging naturally or waving softly. On the deep blue skirt hem, golden embroidery of ocean waves and auspicious clouds is exceptionally fine, exhibiting wonderful texture under light reflections.

Two main props were prepared for this session. The first image features a closed folding fan, while the second image shows the fan fully unfurled, its surface painted with cloud and bird motifs. When opening the fan, adjusting the angle of the ribs allowed light to penetrate the surface for a semi-transparent effect. The third photo switches to a huge red Chinese knot, whose vibrant red creates a striking visual contrast against the cool-toned costume. To match the festive mood of the Chinese knot, the standing pose during shooting shifted slightly from a side angle toward the front, holding the cord of the knot so its bottom tassels created layered depth with the skirt.

Lighting during the shoot was particularly crucial. We chose outdoors after three in the afternoon, when sunlight falls at a slanted angle, creating a golden, warm-toned hue. Cast upon the lake, this light combined with water reflections to form a remarkably gentle light-and-shadow boundary along facial contours. Using a medium-telephoto lens paired with a large aperture during filming completely blurred the background willow branches, tourists, and distant buildings, thereby emphasizing the subject itself. Winds by the water were quite strong, so we intentionally pressed the shutter during pauses between gusts to capture candid, natural moments of hair and costume hem fluttering.

As part of the Genshin Impact and West Lake collaboration, being able to interpret a Liyue character within a real-world Jiangnan water town offered a uniquely immersive, crossover experience. Without intentionally complex set designs, relying purely on natural light and ambient atmosphere gave the final images an added sense of authenticity. From prop selection to makeup and styling details, this photo set aimed to closely fit the character's refined, scholarly persona, hoping the resulting visuals convey both festive cheer and Xingqiu's intrinsic cool elegance and literary grace.