Li Ziqi returned after three years with a new video on Tuesday, featuring her crafting a woodland cloakroom set against a serene countryside backdrop.
Li Ziqi is back! After a three-year hiatus, one of China's Internet sensations – celebrated worldwide for her portrayals of rural Chinese life – has finally returned.
Her reappearance, marked by two new videos and a message, "I've missed you all," quickly ignited the online universe.
In her latest videos, Li explores the art of carved lacquer, a traditional craft recognized as part of China's intangible cultural heritage. Another video showcases her creation of a woodland cloakroom.
Both videos embody her signature style: serene countryside landscapes, meticulously crafted handwork, and breathtaking visuals.
Fans quickly responded, saying, "Li Ziqi's aesthetics are back," and "Every frame could be a wallpaper!"
Her new videos have already garnered billions of views across platforms, underscoring her enduring influence.
The comeback marks a major return for the influential creator, who stepped away from the limelight in 2021 amid complex legal battles and personal challenges.
Li's latest video also showcases her grandmother, a beloved and familiar figure in her content.
The 3-year hiatus
In July 2021, at the height of her fame, Li went silent, leaving over 113 million fans worldwide speculating over her sudden disappearance.
That October, she broke her silence in an interview with China Central Television (CCTV).
"I don't want to give it so-called very high commercial value. I believe it's a double-edged sword, and I just want to protect this name," Li said of her popularity.
She also revealed to People magazine that her absence was due to overwhelming responsibilities and a need to protect her work from exploitation.
As a result, many speculated that her hiatus was primarily due to disputes with her company, Hangzhou Weinian, over trademarks and revenue sharing.
"I just want to protect this name," Li told China Central Television in an interview.
Li and Weinian first partnered in 2016, a collaboration that allowed the former to showcase her creative talents while the latter helped amplify her reach to a global audience.
By 2017, the two had co-founded Sichuan Ziqi Culture Communication, with Li owning 49 percent of the shares and Weinian holding the remaining 51 percent.
In 2020, as Li's popularity soared, Weinian's valuation followed suit, attracting big investments from major players such as ByteDance and Mango Cultural and Creative.
As Li's brand continued to grow, Weinian swiftly opened a factory in Liuzhou, southern Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, to produce "Li Ziqi"-branded snail noodles, capitalizing on her widespread influence.
However, Li, the creative force behind the brand, received minimal financial benefit due to Weinian's control over the company's structure, according to a Time News report.
A netizen on September 23, 2020, claimed on Douban that their friend found a razor blade in the Li Ziqi-branded snail noodles, causing a mouth injury.
In October 2021, Li took Weinian to court. Weinian countersued in January and March 2022 over shareholder information rights.
The dispute dragged on for nearly two years before it was settled by late 2022.
During this time, Li regained the rights to her brand name, and Weinian relinquished control over Sichuan Ziqi Culture Communication.
For Li, the hiatus was a period of growth.
She used this time to learn new skills like Qiang embroidery and Beijing dough figurine making and to explore new content ideas.
"I've spent my time visiting cultural heritage villages," Li shared on a forum, "to help bring traditional crafts to a broader audience."
According to thepaper.cn, she also assisted local artisans in revamping product designs, boosting visibility and sales.
The return of Li Ziqi's 'pastoral fairytale'
Hints of her return surfaced in October 2023, when Li appeared at a Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival, signaling her intention to continue sharing traditional rural content.
Fans rejoiced again when she appeared in a promotional video on Douyin, China's version of TikTok.
By late October 2024, she returned as "Panda Sister" in another video, sparking the trending social media topic, "Li Ziqi is back."
Then, on Tuesday, she officially announced her comeback, instantly attracting hundreds of millions of views.
During her hiatus, Li appeared as a rural ambassador in 2023 and as "Panda Sister" in 2024.
Li Ziqi, whose real name is Li Jiajia, was born in Mianyang, southwestern Sichuan Province, in 1990.
Her content, which first went viral in 2016, depicts an ideal image of rural life: rising with the sun, farming, cooking traditional dishes, and handcrafting items from scratch.
Western fans often liken her to a fairy in a pastoral paradise, mesmerized by her meticulous craft and her harmonious relationship with nature and family. "It's like watching a piece of art come to life," one of them remarked.
Li's appeal lies in her ability to resonate with modern viewers' yearning for a simpler, back-to-basic lifestyle.
"This is quite prevalent among youth living the city life. They get sick of (the city) so the countryside – or a fantasy of it – looks increasingly like the ideal image of what a good life should be," Linda Qian, an Oxford University PhD candidate studying nostalgia's role in the revitalization of China's villages, told London's The Guardian in an interview.
Li often showcases her craftsmanship in her videos, from handcrafting furniture to preparing traditional dishes.
While her hiatus saw many influencers join the "pastoral video" niche, few managed to replicate her reach or success.
Her unique creative skillset and authentic experience in rural life were impossible to imitate, with most creators lacking the continuity and depth in craftsmanship that she offers.
For Li, spending one to two years on a video – learning traditional crafts like Shu embroidery or recording the lifecycle of food from planting to harvest – is the norm.
In contrast, today's influencers often rush to monetize, sacrificing the patience and authenticity that characterize their work.
In a 2021 interview with CCTV, Li outlined three key goals she hoped to pursue in the near future: contributing to rural revitalization, helping preserve intangible cultural heritage and traditional Chinese culture, and guiding young people toward the right path.
When asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Li shared her hope for a shift in aspirations. "I don't want children to answer, 'I want to be an influencer' or 'I want to be a celebrity.' That's not the future I envision. I hope they will embrace the right values, focus on their studies, and grow into individuals who can seize every opportunity," she replied.
Now, with short videos dominating the Internet, can Li Ziqi, the "pastoral fairy," uphold her original vision and carve out a new legacy in this changing digital landscape?
