Readers and listeners of RealTime Mandarin will be familiar with the name, Lǐ Zǐqī 李子柒, the Chinese content creator who made her name with her serene videos of traditional rural life in China. She also holds the record as the most-followed Chinese language YouTube channel.
On November 12, Li Ziqi made an unexpected comeback, ending her three-year hiatus with her first video since July 2021.
The response was immediate—her video went viral, racking up over 100 million views on Weibo within just five hours.
After two days, she had accumulated over 7 million likes on Douyin, 5 million views on Bilibili, and more than 10 million views on YouTube.
Li Ziqi, who disappeared for 1,217 days, is back!
The two 14-minute videos she posted yesterday had over 500 million views across the internet within just one day.
消失1217天的李子柒，回来了！她昨天发的两条14分钟的视频，一天之内全网播放量破了5亿 [1]
Li’s absence was due to a legal battle with her former management company, Weinian (微念), over ownership of the Li Ziqi brand. Between October 2021 and March 2022, Li and Weinian sued and counter-sued each other five times.
But by the end of 2022, she had resolved the dispute, securing 99% ownership of her brand. She has also changed her real name from Lǐ Jiājiā 李佳佳 to Lǐ Zǐqī 李子柒.
Her latest work marks a shift from her signature "rural culinary" theme.
In "My grandma’s wardrobe was broken, so I gave it a makeover" (雕漆隐花，雕出紫气东来), she showcases her meticulous craftsmanship as she refurbishes a lacquered wardrobe for her grandmother, decorating its doors with a golden qílín 麒麟, a mythical creature symbolising good fortune and longevity.
According to media reports, Li spent over six months producing the video, and learning the ancient craft of Chinese lacquering, a skill which is said to date back to the Neolithic period, and is still used in modern aerospace coatings.
There are a number of clever puns in the video and its title, which Li hinted at a Weibo post:
This lacquer video is four years late.
"Qi" sounds the same as "Qi" in my name.
I named this lacquerware artwork "Auspicious Signs from the East"
这个大漆视频迟到了四年
“漆”同“柒”
我给这幅雕漆隐花的漆器作品取名“紫气东来”
The character for lacquer (漆 qī) sounds the same as the qi (柒 qī) in her name.
And “auspicious signs from the east” (紫气东来) is another pun also linked to the qi her name and the character for “energy” (气 qì), which sounds similar, suggesting that Li Ziqi has returned.
Fans were delighted with her return. And there are more puns and plays on words hidden in the commentary too, like:
Mainland Chinese fans enthusiastically cheered with "Lady Qi returns", while international fans joyfully exclaimed, "Welcome back".
国内网友敲锣打鼓高呼“柒妃回宫”，国外网友则喜极而泣“welcome back”。 [2]
“Lady Qi returns to the palace” (柒妃回宫) is another play on words, comparing Li Ziqi’s return to that of a royal figure reclaiming their throne.
Following the release of her latest video, the influencer gained an additional 8 million followers, on top of her huge fan base of 46 million in China within just two days, outpacing nearly all other rising stars over the past year on social media platforms.
Her enduring popularity comes in stark contrast to the increasingly volatile influencer landscape in China, which has seen the rapid rise, and sometimes dramatic fall, of many top influencers, such as Liu Genghong 刘畊宏, Dong Yuhui 董宇辉, and Little Brother Yang 小杨哥, all of whom we've covered in this newsletter as they have risen and fallen.
Over the past three years, many creators have also jumped into the "pastoral lifestyle" (田园牧歌风) niche, trying to replicate Li Ziqi's unique style. Among them is Jiāng Xúnqiān 江寻千, who, like Li Ziqi, combines craftsmanship with a focus on China’s cultural heritage.
Some have gone even further. A Vietnamese vlogger, for example, is said to have mirrored everything from Li Ziqi's video techniques and music, to her makeup and overall style.
But, so far, no one has yet managed to surpass or replace her, even after such a long absence.
How has she managed it?
Well, we found three reasons in the media discussions and social media buzz about her return.
First, many in China point out that she has made a conscious decision not to exploit her fame for commercial gain. Unlike many influencers, she avoids selling products or endorsing brands, setting her apart in an industry driven by monetization.
Second, her prolonged legal battle against Weinian to regain full control of her content struck a chord with ordinary working people (打工人). Many relate to her fight, as they too feel exploited by employers or disillusioned by influencers who prioritise profit over authenticity. This authenticity has earned her unwavering fan support, something even hugely popular figures like Dong Yuhui have struggled to sustain after going independent.
Finally—and perhaps most importantly—she continues to create exceptional content, often investing months into perfecting a single long-form video, as one commentator notes:
In 2024, people realise that good content is still rare and impactful.
Li Ziqi’s return and her popularity have proven this point.
回到2024，人们发现，好内容仍然稀缺且有效，李子柒的回归和大爆，证明了这一点。[3]
So that’s what we’re exploring this week!
🎧 Podcast Preview: In this week’s Member Podcast, we delve into the nuances and differences between terms like “top-tier influencer” (顶流 dǐng liú), “leading streamer” (头部主播 tóu bù zhǔ bō), “standing out as pure and uncorrupted” (清流 qīng liú), and “a breath of fresh air” (一股清流 yī gǔ qīng liú). We also explore how the metaphors “replacement meals” (代餐 dài cān) and “affordable alternative” (平替 píng tì) are used in this context, giving you the tools to express your opinions naturally and accurately. Tune in at the 8-minute mark for practical tips and insights you can start using right away!
Favourite Five
1. 顶流 dǐng liú
top-tier influencer
李子柒停更三年多，归来仍是顶流 - After more than three years of absence online, Li Ziqi remains a top-tier creator upon her return. [1]
2. 紫气东来 zǐ qì dōng lái
auspicious signs from the East; "Li Ziqi is back"
雕漆隐花，雕出紫气东来 - Lacquerware with hidden patterns: bringing auspicious signs from the East. [2]
Note: in this context we translate the idiom “auspicious clouds from the east” as "Li Ziqi is back" which we discuss more in tomorrow’s Sinica Phrase of the Week.
Related:
柒式生活 qī shì shēng huó - "Qi-style" life, unique lifestyle content presented by Li Ziqi in her videos (probably a play on words with "western style" 西式生活)
柒妃回宫 qī fēi huí gōng - “Lady Qi returns to the palace” is a play on words, comparing Li Ziqi’s return to that of a royal figure reclaiming their position. It draws inspiration from the iconic Chinese drama "Empresses in the Palace" (甄嬛传), in which Zhen huan 甄嬛 makes her dramatic return to the palace to reclaim her position. And the character 妃 (fēi) refers to a high-ranking imperial concubine.
3. 绝无仅有 jué wú jǐn yǒu
one of a kind
她是能够凝聚互联网最大共识的绝无仅有者 - She is a one-of-a-kind figure capable of creating the broadest consensus on the internet. [3]
Related:
独树一帜 dú shù yí zhì - unique; distinctive; standing out
4. 反其道而行 fǎn qí dào ér xíng
to go against the norm
她反其道而行，愿意花费数月到一年的时间去学习钻研一门技术 - She went against the norm, willing to spend months to a year learning and mastering a skill. [2]
Note: also written as 反其道而行之
5. 一股清流 yì gǔ qīng liú
a breath of fresh air
她所展示的生活，像一股清流 - The life she showcases feels like a breath of fresh air. [1]
Note: a phrase we last discussed in June 2022, when Hong Kong shares of New Oriental (新东方, China’s largest private education company, surged 71% with the launch of its new live-stream e-commerce platform, East Buy. The phrase is often used to describe celebrities (online or offline).
Consuming the Conversation
Useful words
6. 诗意 shī yì
poetry, poetic charm
都是人间烟火，但也都诗意从容 - It’s all about everyday life, yet it’s presented with poetic charm. [1]
Related:
如画如诗 rú huà rú shī - like painting and poetry; picturesque and poetic
7. 治愈 zhì yù
healing, soothing
所以很多人都说，李子柒的视频特别治愈 - Many people say Li Ziqi’s videos are particularly soothing. [1]
8. 铁粉 tiě fěn
die-hard fans
铁粉遍布全世界 - She has die-hard fans across the globe. [1]
9. 蛰伏 zhé fú
to hibernate, lie low
蛰伏的三年，李子柒依然把平凡的生活写成了诗 - During her three years of inactivity, Li Ziqi still managed to turn ordinary life into poetry. [2]
10. 牵挂 qiān guà
to miss
被全世界心心念念牵挂的博主 - A creator deeply missed by the whole world. [2]
11. 平替 píng tì
affordable alternative
国内的“平替”已经足够多，cosplay李子柒的人远布世界各地 - There are plenty of creators who tried to copy Li Ziqi in China, with other imitators all over the world. [3]
Related:
代餐 dài cān - meal replacement, replacement
12. 秒杀 miǎo shā
instant win, surpass instantly
粉丝增长速度几乎秒杀了过去一年除郭有才之外的所有平台的新晋顶流 - Her fan growth rate instantly surpassed all rising stars on the platform over the past year, except for Guo Youcai. [3]
13. 人设 rén shè
persona
带着完美人设之光的李子柒回归，和平台对内容的渴求几乎一拍即合 - Li Ziqi returned with the glow of her perfect persona, aligning seamlessly with the platform's content needs. [3]
Note: We last discussed this in May this year when Baidu’s head of public relations, Qú Jìng 璩静, abruptly left the Chinese internet search giant after sparking a public backlash, trashing her public persona in seconds.
Three-character phrases
14. 整活儿 zhěng huó’r
create a buzz
再次露面，李子柒整了个大活儿 - Li Ziqi created a huge buzz in her reappearance. [1]
15. 趁东风 chèn dōng fēng
to seize an opportunity
每个人都想趁着短视频直播的东风，迫不及待地分一杯羹，唯恐落于人后 - Afraid of falling behind, everyone rushes to seize the opportunity of the short video boom to get a share. [2]
More: 一杯羹 yì bēi gēng - get a share of the profits
Related:
借东风 jiè dōng fēng - borrow the east wind (means the same but is more common)
Idioms
16. 杳无音讯 yǎo wú yīn xùn
completely out of contact
所有人都以为会风光回归，可她仍然杳无音讯，没有人知道她的复出计划 - Everyone thought she would return with glory, but she remained completely out of contact and no one knew when she planned to come back. [2]
17. 平地惊雷 píng dì jīng léi
sudden shocks
停更三年的李子柒平地惊雷连发两条视频 - After a three-year hiatus, Li Ziqi created a series of shocks by releasing two videos back to back. [2]
Related:
天翻地覆 tiān fān dì fù - earth-shaking, dramatic changes
18. 出类拔萃 chū lèi bá cuì
outstanding; exceptional
从外形气质到动手能力，样样出类拔萃 - From appearance and temperament to practical skills, she excels in every aspect. [2]
19. 恰逢其时 qià féng qí shí
timely; at just the right moment
在大家无法心平气和地与对方谈话的时代，李子柒恰逢其时地回来了 - In an era where people struggle to communicate calmly with one another, Li Ziqi returned at just the right moment. [2]
20. 对簿公堂 duì bù gōng táng
to confront someone in court
2022年底，经过一年半的对簿公堂，双方以在法院的调解下达成和解结束了漫长的博弈 - At the end of 2022, after a year and a half of legal battle, the two parties reached a settlement through court mediation, ending the prolonged dispute. [2]
More: a phrase we learned in 2022 when Li Ziqi was in a legal battle with her management company, Weinian.
Phrases
21. 无可取代 wú kě qǔ dài
irreplaceable
至真至纯的李子柒始终无可取代的原因 - The reason why Li Ziqi, who embodies authenticity and purity, remains irreplaceable. [2]
22. 田园牧歌 tián yuán mù gē
idyllic and pastoral
这是一个充满了田园牧歌式生活的短视频世界 - This is a short video world filled with idyllic and pastoral-style living. [3]
23. 人在江湖，身不由己 rén zài jiāng hú, shēn bù yóu jǐ
at the mercy of one’s circumstances; unable to act freely
这些需要慢慢来的美好，是“人在江湖身不由己”的我们，在这个物质世界的裹挟下，难以达成的 - These beautiful moments that take time to create are a rarity to us, as we are at the mercy of circumstances in this material world. [1]
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