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im listening to zange mairi again so i prolly wont shut up abt zhongli for the next WEEK youve been warned
whoops this was meant to be a fleet but its 9am on a sunday and i cant fall back asleep SO HERE WE GO
disclaimer: i Know zhongli is a heavily chinese-coded character!! even tho this song is japanese w japanese imagery and (religious?) themes, it’s about the MESSAGE of song not solely the imagery!!
(spam incoming!) but god i wish i had the time and patience to animate or make an amv-esque video abt this idea but i dont lol i hardly ever finish my own fanart so yall get a thread on this instead :,) (if i dont get embarrassed later and delete all this djjdnf)
starting w the title, Zange Mairi (懺悔参り) which translates to ‘Visiting Repentance’ in eng
‘zange’ is pretty straightforward. it refers to repentance/confession of one’s sins or regrets ‘mairi’ means to visit, but Specifically for shrines, temples, and graves
‘zange’ is pretty straightforward. it refers to repentance/confession of one’s sins or regrets ‘mairi’ means to visit, but Specifically for shrines, temples, and graves
(it’s also used in keigo (aka super super formal japanese for customer service, businesses, etc.) but thats not relevant here)
what’s really genius (to me anyway) is that usually people go to shrines to pray to gods for forgiveness, right?
but in this case, a god is the one repenting and asking for forgiveness, apologizing and lamenting over not doing enough for his people!
but in this case, a god is the one repenting and asking for forgiveness, apologizing and lamenting over not doing enough for his people!
(this is where im like 
at zhongli, do u see where im going w this?)
at zhongli, do u see where im going w this?)
quick summary: the song begins w a god watching over his people, being envious of them(?), wishing for a way out of his loneliness, and repenting/asking forgiveness for being unable to fulfill the many wishes/desires of his people
not all of the lines in the song are relevant to rex lapis’ story to me, so i’ll just pick out some of my favorites:
どうか(どうか)貴方の為に祈らないで願わないで何もできやしないさ子供騙しおまじない
Please don’t pray/wish for anything for your own sake. I can’t do anything using this childish good luck charm*
Please don’t pray/wish for anything for your own sake. I can’t do anything using this childish good luck charm*
(* the ‘good luck charm’ i believe refers to ‘ema’ which are wood plaques that people visiting shrines write their wishes on. they’re left in the shrines so that gods will receive them)
since the end of the archon wars, the change in the purpose of adepti is something pretty blatantly shown in gi. before, adepti served as protectors of the people. now that they live in times of general peace, the prayers for their aid have become more self-centered,
made for personal gain. rex lapis has noticed this and realizes he (and the other adepti) are no longer needed for their original purpose.
神様も(神様も)夜は寂しいから許してよ(許してよ)いつも僕のせいさ
Even god (even god) gets lonely at night. So forgive me (please forgive me), it’s always my fault
Even god (even god) gets lonely at night. So forgive me (please forgive me), it’s always my fault
(gi 1.1 spoilers!!) idk about u but i see the transition from rex lapis to zhongli! the realization that being a god is /lonely/ and his desire to live amongst his people, as he’s done in the past in previous forms, shines thru
also, there’s this helplessness that he feels as
also, there’s this helplessness that he feels as
a god that stems from being unable to help his people in this modern liyue. which is where having a human form comes in. as a person, he would be able to help the people in smaller ways (ie. the hairpin story), which is better than being unable to help at all!
今日も今日とて変わらないようだ願わくば海の底さよなら また会いましょうずっとずっとずっと此処にいるよ
Today seems to be unchanging. I pray at the bottom of the sea. Goodbye, let’s see each other again. I’ll be here forever and ever.
Today seems to be unchanging. I pray at the bottom of the sea. Goodbye, let’s see each other again. I’ll be here forever and ever.
prolly wishful thinking but rex lapis and osial?? and perhaps a reference to all the gods he has “slain” during the archon wars that still live on because gods can’t die?? or at least their resentment that continues to live on and infect the land of teyvat
神様も神様も明日を見えない
Even god (even god) can’t see what tomorrow holds
神様も神様も貴方と語りたい
Even god (even god) wants to talk with you too
Even god (even god) can’t see what tomorrow holds
神様も神様も貴方と語りたい
Even god (even god) wants to talk with you too
(more 1.1 spoilers!!) both pretty self-explanatory. these describe zhongli’s motives/desires perfectly, including why he faked his death. he wants to retire. he wants to spread his knowledge abt liyue’s history while also learning from his people.
but he’s also unsure if liyue is ready for him to leave them completely. hence the test with childe and osial.
(okay song lyrics are done) IT ALSO DOESN’T HELP THAT THE CHARACTER IN THE VIDEO LOOKS KINDA LIKE ZHONGLI TOO (video illus credits to 瀬川あをじ https://www.pixiv.net/en/users/22160663 ) pls check them out im absolutely in love w all their art esp the ハレハレヤ illus 
)
)
but yeah uhh in conclusion i love this song and i love zhongli and i hope he comes home :,) i could write an essay abt him but bc this thread is already so long i’ll shut up now LOL
here’s the translation i referenced:
https://vocaloidlyrics.fandom.com/wiki/ 懺悔参り_(Zange_Mairi)
https://vocaloidlyrics.fandom.com/wiki/ 懺悔参り_(Zange_Mairi)
the original song:
and jubyphonic does an AMAZING english cover that perfectly captures its tone without altering the translation and overall meaning of the og lyrics! heres the link to that:
also here’s my favorite cover of it by いゔどっと
(i just love his voice aaaa)
(i just love his voice aaaa)
if you stuck with this entire thread thank you??? i dont like talking on twitter bc i get embarrassed and just wanna delete all the bs i say but i hope this was at least somewhat interesting to read! /end
i dont like talking on twitter bc i get embarrassed and just wanna delete all the bs i say but i hope this was at least somewhat interesting to read! /end
