By Han Jingwen
Donald Trump has taken office, the Huanong Brothers have started raising bamboo rats, and Li Ziqi has returned, leading netizens to joke, “Are we back in 2018?”
Two years after Li Ziqi’s hiatus, a media outlet conducted a Weibo poll, asking, “Do you think Li Ziqi will still be favored after disappearing for two years?” Approximately 150,000 out of nearly 200,000 participants chose “yes.”
On the afternoon of November 12, without any prior notice, Li Ziqi suddenly resumed updating her content on social media platforms. Then, within two days, three videos in her distinctive style were released consecutively, which signified that after three years of negotiation with Weinian MCN, Li Ziqi had finally regained her autonomy.
During her 1217 days of absence, Li Ziqi found the motivation and direction to move forward.
In July 2021, after releasing a video titled “The Salt in the Ingredients of Daily Life,” she ceased updating the content. For three years, fans have been eagerly anticipating her return, asking “When will Li Ziqi come back?” and “What is she doing now?”; but they dared not press for answers.
“When asked about my activities during these three years, I joked about catching up on sleep, making up for all the all-nighters I pulled in the previous years,” Li Ziqi said with a laugh.
“Mostly, I had the time to accompany my grandmother. In the past few years, while I was filming and editing, she was the one to take care of me. So, with more time on my hands, I took her out to see the world, to explore and enjoy good food.”
Regarding the most concerned issue of video updates, Li Ziqi shared new ideas with the reporter, “These three years have been a significant journey. I’ve visited over 20 provinces and met with more than 100 intangible cultural heritage inheritors and cultural workers, which has given me the drive and direction for the future.”
Furthermore, Li Ziqi has achieved a complete unification of her personal identity and IP symbol. According to Tianyancha, on February 22 this year, the legal representative of Sichuan Ziqi Cultural Communication Co., Ltd. was changed from “Li Jiajia” to “Li Ziqi.” On the same day, the operator of Datutu Floristry Studio in Fucheng District, Mianyang, Sichuan, was also changed from “Li Jiajia” to “Li Ziqi.” As early as December 27, 2022, after reaching a settlement with “Weinian,” Li Ziqi acquired 99% of the shares of Sichuan Ziqi Cultural Communication Co., Ltd.
Upon her return, Li Ziqi remains unmatched in her field, with no substitutes.
Over the three years of her absence, the Internet has subtly changed, with live-streaming sales emerging, making it easier for imitations to gain popularity. However, despite the fact that cosplayers of Li Ziqi scattered across the world, including a Vietnamese Li Ziqi and an Eastern European Li Ziqi, no one has successfully replicated the true “Li Ziqi.”
When asked if she was worried about being replaced or if her work might lose its uniqueness, Li Ziqi gave an insightful answer, “One hundred flowers in full blossom bring spring to a garden. Today, there are more traditional craftspeople and freelance journalists, which has led to traditional culture being seen and appreciated by more people. This is the result of the involvement of the whole community. If it were just me, today’s situation wouldn’t have happened. As for whether my work stands out, does it still matter? I don’t think so, because it has become a direction, and I hope more people will move towards it.”
Her first video upon returning, “The Purple Qi from the East,” features Li Ziqi using the hidden flower carving technique of Chengdu lacquer art to handcraft a lacquer wardrobe for her grandmother. From material selection to production, from polishing to coloring, Li Ziqi showcases the essence of lacquer art. In her second video, “The Forest Closet,” she transforms an abandoned chicken coop into a space filled with the aesthetics of everyday life, reflecting her love and pursuit of life in every detail. On November 13, Li Ziqi updated the latest video “For All Who Know My Name” on the social media platform again, beautifully blending intangible cultural heritage with modern aesthetics through the medium of ronghua.
With a low-profile return, Li Ziqi effortlessly demonstrated the influence a top-tier influencer should have.
As of now, the three videos that Li Ziqi has uploaded since her return have garnered a total of over 159 million likes on Weibo, 50.53 million on Douyin, 76.455 million on Bilibili, and 76.455 million on Kuaishou. Similarly, the overseas data is impressive, with her YouTube subscribers reaching 20.5 million, and the views for the three videos exceeding 12.88 million, 7.88 million, and 8.32 million, respectively. The sorrows and joys from distant lands have found a temporary resonance in Li Ziqi’s comment section. One fan commented, “Li Ziqi’s comment section is a rare sight of global harmony on the internet, where there is no arguing or negative emotion, only gratitude, concern, and well wishes. Thank you so much; the world is delighted by your return.”
Currently, Li Ziqi’s Weibo followers have surpassed 27.9 million, with an increase of over one million, and her Douyin followers have broken through 58.95 million. According to data from the third-party platform Huitun, Li Ziqi gained 2.688 million new followers on Douyin on the day she resumed posting, sitting at the top of follower growth chart for that day. Netizens couldn’t help but exclaim, “The strongest person in this field has returned.”
Future Work Direction: Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH)
The three videos posted since her return have been met with a clear sense of something new from the familiar Li Ziqi style: the topics of the three videos are all related to ICH.
As an indispensable creator of traditional culture in China’s cultural exports, Li Ziqi officially announced the establishment of the “Li Ziqi Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) Workspace” during her first public appearance after a three-year hiatus.
On the evening of November 13, 2024, the “Renewed ICH · Tianfu Night” was held in Chengdu, where ICH inheritors, performances, and cases from across the country were showcased. Li Ziqi, who had just returned to the public eye, also had an unexpected encounter with the audience. At the ceremony, she was appointed as the “Craftsmanship Guardian Ambassador of the Renewed ICH Project.” Li Ziqi expressed, “The past three years have been very full and happy. I’ve met many like-minded people, and we can work together on things we enjoy. These experiences have given me new insights, and I’ve tried to do things that can help spread traditional culture.”
“At present, the focus is mainly on the innovative development of the ecological aspects of traditional culture, such as the protection and the development of a framework for artisans’ intellectual property rights. It also involves addressing the practical issues faced by traditional cultural artisans, fostering mutual support between older inheritors and young content creators, and exploring new attempts to see if we can make new strides,” Li Ziqi explained to reporters in an interview about her future plans for ICH inheritance.
According to related staff, Li Ziqi and her workspace will also take practical actions to promote the specific work of ICH, explore the sustainable development potential of ICH projects in various forms, and promote the deep integration of ICH communication and inheritance into contemporary society. “Thank you for supporting me in unseen places. Although I always worry about not doing enough, I will strive for the future and firmly believe in the path I have chosen.” Three years later, Li Ziqi’s original aspirations remain unchanged.