[Xishi cosplay] Honor of Kings Poetic Jiangnan: A Summer Farewell Amidst Withered Lotuses

This set of finished Xishi cosplay photos for the Poetic Jiangnan skin from Honor of Kings was actually shot at the tail end of summer. By then, most of the lotus blooms in the pond had fallen; whenever the wind blew, all one could see were green lotus leaves mingled with dry, withered seedpods, instantly bringing a desolate mood. When setting out to cosplay Xishi, the original idea was to capture the tender grace of the Jiangnan water towns. Yet standing by the lotus pond that day, that phrase kept echoing in my mind: 'Summer has left; will you leave too?' Shooting amidst withered lotuses brought about such a poignant, bittersweet feeling.

The outfit is a modified qipao style featuring a blue-and-white gradient, with large white lotus blossoms printed across the skirt hem. Wearing this dress, paired with twin braided pigtails, blue floral hair ornaments, White stockings, and black Mary Jane shoes, I felt my entire persona transform into something gentle and spirited. However, shooting outdoors in this attire required immense caution—especially with the White stockings, which could easily snag on blades of grass or twigs. To capture that relaxed sense of resting by the pond, I sat on a somewhat rough stone, cradling a pink-covered book prop in my arms, raising a hand to shield against the sun or reaching out as if to catch drifting leaves. These poses may look simple, but the photographer and I invested a lot of effort into finding the best angles for light and shadow.

Speaking of character interpretation, this skin inherently carries a gentle sorrow at its core. A maiden of the Jiangnan water towns looking across a pond of withered lotuses would surely feel deeply moved. The weather was actually quite muggy during the shoot, but gazing at the withered lotuses brought an unexpected coolness to my heart—perhaps that was the empathy sparked by the environment. In front of the camera, I tried to convey an emotion that held both a young girl's liveliness and a subtle sense of reluctance and loneliness. For instance, in the first photo, I raised my arm halfway to shade my eyes, tilting my head slightly to gaze into the distance; in the second photo, I turned sideways and reached out a hand, as if trying to hold onto something slipping away. These nuanced gestures came naturally after absorbing the atmosphere of the withered lotuses on site.

The pink-covered book in hand served as a wonderful prop, not only giving my hands a natural purpose but also infusing the composition with a scholarly, literary touch. Though simply sitting quietly, I hoped to communicate those intricate emotions through body language and the gaze. As for hair and makeup, numerous hairpins were used to secure the twin braided hair accessories firmly. The makeup was kept as clean and translucent as possible to highlight the sparkle in the eyes, using softer tones for eyeshadow. The sunlight was quite harsh that day, but thankfully, as it illuminated the blue skirt hem, it reflected a dreamy effect. While stockings look lovely, they smudge easily; after sitting on the ground, the hem and stockings inevitably picked up a bit of dirt, but that is simply part of the fun of offline cosplay shoots.

I look forward to the arrival of next summer. When the lotus pond blooms in full once again, perhaps I will shoot this outfit one more time to experience an entirely different, vibrant vitality. I hope this set with its touch of melancholy allows everyone to feel Xishi's unique beauty.