Is Zhongli good or evil?

As a revered archon and god in Teyvat lore, Zhongli‘s alignment comes under frequent scrutiny by fans. At first glance, his benevolent rule and selfless protection of Liyue paint him as righteous. However, questionable dealings with Fatui spies have raised doubts. After analyzing all available in-game lore and character narratives, I believe the evidence clearly favors Zhongli being ultimately good rather than evil.

Zhongli‘s Good Deeds as Geo Archon and Ruler of Liyue

Zhongli, also known as the Prime of the Adepti, was the Geo Archon who ruled Liyue for over 3000 years before retiring in the recent past. According to records and stories from Liyue characters, Zhongli‘s reign brought great prosperity, stability and growth of knowledge to the region.

As an archon, Zhongli made contracts to spur economic development, defeated gods like Osial who threatened Liyue, and even sacrificed his own archon status to help Liyue transition into an era of independent human rule. These are not the acts of an evil ruler – but rather a benevolent one who puts his people‘s interests first.

Era of Prosperity in Liyue

Liyue is known across Teyvat as the economic center of trade thanks to the strong economic foundations Zhongli established during his rule. The prosperity he facilitated allowed Technological revolution and cultural boom in Liyue. According to historical accounts:

This table summarizes crucial economic policies created by the Geo Archon that fueled Liyue‘s development into the merchant powerhouse it remains today. This speaks to Zhongli‘s strategy of practical decision for benefit of all Liyue citizens.

Protection against Evil Gods

Zhongli also protected Liyue against several diabolical gods seeking to enslave humanity – notably Osial, the ancient overlord of the Vortex. At the risk of his own life, he supposedly defeated Osial and sealed him away for thousands of years. We witnessed firsthand in the Liyue archon quest how Zhongli intervenes using the Rite of Progeny to reseal Osial and prevent catastrophe. Once again, we see him living up to his duty as the guardian of Liyue.

Rite of Descension

Finally, the deciding act that cements Zhongli as good is his choice to step down as archon and allow humans to determine their own fate. This selfless sacrifice of his power marked the Rite of Descension – a seldom seen event for a god to relinquish immortality and position as an archon willingly for the greater good. This represents Zhongli‘s compassion and hope that Liyue‘s people can thrive independently under able human rule after thousands of years of prosperity under his care.

Zhongli‘s Controversial Alliance with the Fatui

However, Zhongli is a complex archon – not without flaws and questions around his methods for protecting Liyue after retirement. His secret alliance with the Fatui Harbingers Childe and Signora to orchestrate the attack on Liyue Harbor shocked many fans initially.

On the surface, it appears Zhongli used deception and risked innocent lives to test if Liyue was ready to defend itself without his protection. But a closer look at Zhongli‘s motives reveals he had several backup contingency plans in place to prevent actual harm. This painted him more as ruthlessly cunning rather than outright evil.

Childe‘s Foul Legacy and Osial‘s Return

By providing Childe the Gnosis and leaking the seals to Osial‘s prison, Zhongli intentionally sparked the conflict at Liyue harbor. The stakes were raised by summoning ancient evil gods and enabling Childe unleashing dangerous foul legacy transformation. However, what many missed is that Zhongli was always in control with steps to neutralize the various threats.

Consider how he conveniently appeared to reinforce new Jade Chamber when it crashed onto weakened Osial – preventing the havoc of this immortal god from resurging permanently. Zhongli strategically chose the timing and location of this controlled chaos to force Liyue governing authorities into action. Once he observed their strength and unity against the threats, he declared the test over and returned order promptly.

Shrewd Manipulation but Limited Damage

In retrospect, Zhongli‘s unorthodox gambit with Fatui agents posed more hypothetical danger rather than actual harm. Property damage was relatively minor and no lasting casualties occurred thanks to Zhongli‘s own interventions when situations nearly exceeded control limits. Once we analyze outcomes in context, Zhongli‘s intentions become clearer – to give Liyue‘s future opportunity to prove themselves while orchestrating the clash safely from behind the scenes.

The means may warrant fair criticism, but the ends aligned with his core mission to assure Liyue moves on from archon rule as intended. This shows Zhongli has Liyue‘s best interest at heart despite his shadowy partnerships and machinations.

Zhongli‘s Archon Burden – Nuanced but Still Good

In summary, Zhongli is neither a cliche hero nor stereotypical villain when examined closely through lore and deeds. He has complexity befitting an archon who has accumulated great power and responsibility over thousands of years. The weight of securing Liyue‘s continued safety and prosperity after departure leads him to adopt morally gray methods against threats to his life‘s work.

Flawed? Yes. Controversial? Certainly. But evil or ill intended? I contend there is inadequate evidence to condemn the heart of his motivations. Time and time again, his arc demonstrates sacrifice and loyalty to Liyue‘s people – from establishing prosperity to defeating monsters to testing future generation leadership. The full picture suggests any darkness likely comes from burden rather than malice. And for that reason with strong track record considered, I firmly conclude Zhongli represents the good alignment.