Zhongli is a calm, reserved, and polite man, who holds an air of nostalgia. He knows much about Liyue's history and culture in part due to his time as the Geo Archon; like Venti, he has many experiences and memories, as he was a god well before The Seven even existed and one of the oldest still living in Teyvat. He holds philosophical ideas towards money and has great respect for Liyue's traditions, including those that have been forgotten or warped over time. Zhongli tends to be humble, being worried he comes off as a "bourgeois parasite.
Zhongli tends to forget about Mora in transactions, agreeing to spend large sums of it without having any Mora on hand and even taking "discounts" as granted despite being an obvious scam. He often ends up relying on his acquaintances for financial support, such as the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor or Childe. Although he works for Hu Tao, he does not like her childish behavior.
It is later revealed that Zhongli's "carelessness" stems from being the creator of Mora. With the Gnosis allowing him to create limitless Mora, he never had to worry about running low on his personal finances. Unfortunately, when he chose to live among mortals, he lacked the foresight to find an alternative for them to continue minting Mora in his absence, along with creating a retirement fund for himself. As a result, he shamelessly spends the Mora of others.
Being the reminiscent person he is, Zhongli enjoys Osmanthus wine as it was the drink he and his former Archon friends used to have when they met up in Liyue. He dislikes seafood as it reminds him of the promise he made to his people in the past when he fought a particularly annoying type of sea creature, although he does not mind eating them if they have been ground to a pulp.
Zhongli is the latest mortal vessel of the Geo Archon, Morax, who serves as a consultant for the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. To the people of Liyue, their Archon carries many titles: the Geo Archon, the God of Contracts, the God of History, the God of the Stove, the Stonebreaker, and the Warrior God among them.
Having lived for over 6000 years, Zhongli has first-hand experience with much of Teyvat's history, including the start of the Archon War. At the time, Zhongli was the co-ruler of the prosperous Guili Assembly alongside the God of Dust, Guizhong. During a certain battle, despite their efforts and the aid of the adepti, Guizhong was slain and the Guili Assembly was destroyed. Sometime afterwards, 3700 years ago, Zhongli moved his people south of Mt. Tianheng and established Liyue Harbor,[8] where it stands to this day.
Though no one knows where Zhongli is from, he is a master of courtesy and rules. His grasp of Liyue's traditions is superior to that of any scholar. From his seat at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, he performs all manner of rituals. Proper clothing, auspicious timing, locations and appliances, observances and regulations, all such things can be left in his hands without a care.