[Xishi Cosplay] Honor of Kings Dream of the Dragon, Holding a Lotus for a Moonlight Rendezvous

Ever since the shooting theme was decided, I have been looking forward to the final photos of this Xishi "Dream of the Dragon" look from Honor of Kings. This time, to realize the imagery of keeping a rendezvous under the moonlight, the photography team and I put a lot of thought into the set design.

First and foremost, the layered feel of the costume heavily tested the allocation of lighting. The white and light water-blue tulle fabrics are layered together; if the natural light isn't translucent enough, it easily looks thin. However, through the special lighting of the softbox this time, the gold-threaded border details, the bead strings on the cuffs, and the accessories at the waist could all be beautifully displayed, and I am quite satisfied with the overall accuracy. The blue-green dragon horns are made of a crystal-clear material, appearing even more ethereal in the cool-toned filter atmosphere.

The actual shooting situation was more exhausting than imagined. Although the final photos look lightweight, wearing a wig and heavy, multi-layered clothing, combined with the need to maintain the smooth lines of the overall look, meant I had to go barefoot. Stepping amidst the white silk folds of the set required constant center of gravity balance control, while also paying attention to facial expressions—maintaining a cool, ethereal look without looking like I was trying too hard. This was a huge test for both physical stamina and expression control.

The core setting in the photos lies in "holding a lotus to keep a rendezvous." That white lotus prop is actually very light, but it became the center of vision and emotion in the frame. I specifically practiced the bending curvature of my fingers, paired with a slightly lowered gaze, attempting to convey a sense of serenity as if something long-awaited had finally arrived as scheduled. The photographer caught it very accurately; the downcast eyes moment in the close-up shot, and that natural xianxia feel of being immersed in a blue and white sea of flowers and chiffon ribbons in the full-view shot, both perfectly fit my imagination of this skin.

Having been in the community for many years, I increasingly feel that when restoring traditional Chinese or xianxia characters, costumes and props are just the foundation—the fusion of poise, gaze, and overall aura is the key. This time, we abandoned complex real-life scenes and heavily utilized cool-toned floral art and drapery to craft an illusory space. Although I almost tripped several times during the shoot, seeing the final photos made it all worth it. I hope these few images can present Xishi's quiet, gentle, yet slightly detached temperament.