Wawn Dinery

Tales of Teyvat, a Genshin Lore Podcast

Episode 76: Hu Tao & The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor

SEASON FOUR

Every episode our team provides travelers with visual and video aids to help better understand comparisons, learn more about topics, and follow what we’re discussing. While we strive to include links to official Genshin Impact resources, some may also be to third-party channels.

Below are some resources surrounding this episode about Hu Tao & The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor that may be helpful to better understand the talking points and lore:

Hu Tao from Genshin Impact, at close up. Her head is titled down, her tongue slightly sticking out of her mouth, and her hands by her head. The background is dark and creepy.

One of our first glimpses of the curious Hu Tao comes in her character demo when we see her scaring folks on Wuwang Hill and fighting off some Fatui.

Watch on YouTube: Character Demo – “Hu Tao: Let the Living Beware”

A close up of Hu Tao, from Genshin Impact, showcasing her hat and plum blossom flowers that adorn it. The plum flowers are red with yelllow centers.

Hu Tao’s signature flower is the plum blossom, which is adorned in her hat and in the shape of her pupils. She also grows these flowers and gives some to Xiangling for her recipes.

Baizhu, from Genshin Impact, stands in front of Hu Tao as she peaks around him. They are inside a room with an open archway to the outdoors.

On the surface, it doesn’t seem like Baizhu and Hu Tao would have much in common. But in fact, they are connected by brothers. Hu Tao’s grandfather and Baizhu’s master were estranged brothers. In the Changsheng story teaser, we learn a bit about Old Hu’s unnamed brother.

The Staff of Homa, from Genshin Impact, a pole arm with a red flame like incasing on the top of a wooden and gold pole.

The Staff of Homa (not Thoma) tells the story of a doctor who worked to clear the miasmas left from the Yaksha’s karmic debt. This was the beginning of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.

Hu Tao and her ghost friend. Hu Tao is standing at profile, one hand in the air while smiling. Her ghost is white with red rectangle eyes and a red mouth with a snaggle tooth. The ghost seems to dance with Hu Tao and is happy.

In her character teaser, Hu Tao tells us that the butterflies will help guide us out of Wuwang Hill because they all want to be seelies. Is this a Hu Tao-ism, or is there some truth behind it? We’ll never know.

Watch on YouTube: Character Teaser – “Hu Tao: Scared Yet?”

Hu Tao and Big G from her story quest. Big G is a ghost of a child, while he glows white and a light blue, and is subtly see-through, he has grey hair and a green top with pants on. Next too him, Hu Tao jumps with excitement as they stand in a forest.

Hu Tao’s story quest deals with the acceptance of loss and why there is no reason to fear death. And that adventurers are her best clients.

Watch on YouTube: Hu Tao Story Quest

Keqing and Hu Tao, from Genshin Impact, are shown at a close up shot. Keqing is talking to someone of screen as Hu Tao seems to crouch behind her.

Feens and Tif talk about one of the funniest scenes from the second part of “Duel! The Summoners’ Summit!” event when Hu Tao stalks Keqing & Kazuha’s conversation. They were in hysterics when she popped up out of nowhere! Watch for yourselves, and let us know if you agree!

Xingqiu and Hu Tao, from Genshin Impact, stand next to one another in Liyue Harbor. Hu Tao stands on the right, waving her hand while Xingqiu stands to her left reading a book, the book covering his face.

Hu Tao and Xingqiu have an adorable friendship based on their love of poetry. Who else hopes for a sci-fi funeral collab from this duo? Just us?

We talk more about their friendship in our Xingqiu episode from season one.

Official art of Hu Tao from Genshin Impact's Lantern Rite event. Hu Tao is showing waving one arm while holding her other hand to her mouth, using it to make her talk louder. She is standing in the middle of red and yellow decorations with Yelan and Xiao standing casually behind her.

Being from Liyue, Hu Tao is always present at the Lantern Rite festivals. From watching the finale with Zhongli to hosting dinner parties, it’s an event she cannot miss. Check out our Lantern Rite Episode from earlier this season to hear more about her involvement.

A stone statue outside the Ministry of Civil Affairs in Liyue Harbor. It is a grey statue of a lion with one foot on a ball. It sits on a large rectangular pedestal. Its mouth is open and it has details on his side that are reminiscent of wind.

Whiskers and Mittens are the lion statues outside the Ministry of Civil Affairs in Liyue Harbor. Bee tells us how Hu Tao named these fluffy stone kitties and cared for them until they were all grown up. Ok, Hu Tao, if you say so.

The domain in Wuwang Hill. The stone domain sits in the middle of a dark pong with a broken stone walkway leading up to it. There are little blue auras, or ghosts, floating around it in the dark.

Wuwang Hill is mentioned frequently when discussing Hu Tao. It’s where she performs funeral ceremonies and where spirits linger. Feens tells us about a great disaster that took out an entire village in the area.

Hu Tao, from Genshin Impact, dances in the middle of Liyue Harbor with a few children. It is dark out and the harbor is lit by lanterns.

During her Collected Miscellany video, Dainsleif explains Hu Tao’s HP depletion and her thoughts on the cycle of life. No longer fearing death has made her live a full life.

Watch on YouTube: Collected Miscellany – “Hu Tao: Fragrance in Thaw”

Qiqi, from Genshin impact, hides behind a wooden wall looking frightened.

HU’s afraid of the big bad Tao? Qiqi, that’s HU! When Qiqi sees that punchable face, she runs for cover.

Learn more about Qiqi’s relationship with Hu Tao in season three’s Papa Baizhu and Baby Qiqi episode.

Xiao, from Genshin Impact, watching a ghost shaped kite fly in the blue sky.

Check out the cutscene where Xiao gets caught by his “dad” when looking to flirt with Hu Tao. He sure did pop out of that tree pretty quickly for a loner.

Watch on YouTube: ZHONGLI Gives XIAO a Kite

Hu Tao, from Genshin Impact, gives a double peace sign to the camera as she winks into the camera. Behind her the night sky of Liyue Harbor is filled with lanterns from the Lantern Rite Festival.

The now infamous rap! In Lantern Rite 2023, the Blaze Lilies graced us with the longest 30-second rap ever. But maybe it only didn’t work in English? Check out the song in four languages, and let us know what you think.

A screenshot of HoYo's April Fool's Day joke on their Twitter. It shows their name as Hu Tao, despite their handle being @GenshinImpact. Their twitter banner is also Hu Tao. Imposed on top, is a tweet from Hu Tao saying "Hmm? Paimon still isn't back yet. Can't say I didn't warn her about the dangers of eating too much in one sitting! But as the saying goes, it's your funeral... Anyway, never fear, for Hu Tao is here to tell you all you need to know about Contending Tides..."

In 2021, HoYo played an April Fool’s trick on us by changing the game mascot from Paimon over to Hu Tao on their social media channels.

A screenshot of the achievement Purveyor of Punishment that shows a travelers highest CRIT DMG total in the achievements menu. Superimposed on top is a screenshot of one of the hosts crit rate, showing a hit of over 184k.

Early in the episode, Bee tells us about a neat feature in our achievements. If you go to the menu and search for ‘purveyor,’ you can find your highest CRIT DMG. Share with us on Discord what your highest score is!

Genshin Impact's Paimon and a movie kamera. In front of her on the table is a blank postcard and a brown Kamera her hands. Her eyes are closed and she is laughing. In front of her on the table is a blank postcard and a brown Kamera.

Here are some helpful links if you’re unfamiliar with the pop culture references we mentioned during the episode. Tif quotes Notorious BIG and Feens talks about the dragon in Mulan.

Artist Spotlight

Fanart of Genshin Impact's Hu Tao by artist Whyte. Hu Tao is drawn squatting in the middle of Liyue harbor, smiling at the camera, resting her head on one hand while the other holds her ghost friend. Behind her there are yellow banners hanging over head and lanterns sprinkling the sky.
© Whyte

There are so many talented & creative people in the Genshin community, and we’d like to spread some love to a wonderful artist – Whyte (@whyte_srsn). Whyte is an amazingly talented illustrator who mostly draws HoYoVerse game characters. Her classic style works beautifully with the anime characters. Give her a follow and consider supporting her with a commission!

See more work from Whyte on Instagram, X/Twitter, and PixIV.

Artwork posted with permission of the artist.

Letters from Afar

Questions and comments delivered weekly by Kirara and the Komaniya Express

Kirara from Genshin Impact standing next to a wooden mailbox and a squirrel. There are two letters imposed next to her and she stands on a stone patio with grass and a pink sky behind her.

Thank you to fellow travelers Wario & Valiant for writing in. We truly appreciate your questions and comments! If you’d like to send us mail via the Komaniya Express, reach out on our Instagram, X/Twitter, or email. We’d love to hear from you! And Kirara could use the work.

Extras

@talesoftif

hu tao and her hilichurls #genshinimpact #genshin #huatao #hilichurls #talesofteyvat

♬ The Ten Hilichurls (Hu Tao’s song) – YoyoAidoru

Follow @thefeenster & @talesoftif for fun Genshin TikToks and more.

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Tales of Teyvat is a fan-based podcast and is in no way affiliated with Genshin Impact or HoYoverse.
All thoughts and theories are our own.

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