Mondstadt/Culture

OverviewCultureHistory

The nation of Mondstadt is marked by its adherence to "freedom," Barbatos' ideal.

Life in Mondstadt

Overall, Mondstadt has a casual, laid-back atmosphere derived from their belief in freedom over all else. There has been little socioeconomic stratification ever since the dissolution of the aristocracy 1000 years ago, although certain families such as the Gunnhildr Clan and the Ragnvindr Family enjoy a good reputation due to their long lineages and notable contributions to Mondstadt.

Alcohol plays a major role in Mondstadt both socially and economically. As a result, Mondstadt has a large drinking culture, which in turn has led to a relatively high amount of alcoholics. Nimrod talks about the "Four Drunkards," who are allegedly the biggest drinkers in Mondstadt, though he himself is a relapsing alcoholic; this has earned him the consternation of his wife Eury and his confessor Sister Victoria, and Charles has to contact Eury whenever his drinking gets out-of-hand. Diona's hatred of alcohol stems from her father Draff's personality change whenever he is drunk, though she fails to recognize that it is a direct response to his drinking habits.

After Grace received several complaints from children about drunk fathers stumbling out of wardrobes, the Church of Favonius now sends deaconesses to pray over newly built wardrobes to ward off such incidents. However, beyond hearing confessions and making prayers, the Church of Favonius seems to have little ability to address the real source of the problem, much to the frustration of confessors like Sister Victoria.

In Mondstadt's culture, the rose is symbolic with the keeping of secrets, and represents the saying "As wine bottles are corked, so too are my lips sealed." The idea that it could represent love, as it does in the Traveler's culture, is a completely foreign concept.

Agriculture

Under Barbatos' blessing, most of Mondstadt has a gentle climate that allows crops to flourish. Fresh fruits such as sunsettias and apples are abundant, as well as grapes for making wine. Of the wineries in Mondstadt, the Dawn Winery is one of the oldest and most influential, with over a thousand years of history.

Common crops such as carrots and radishes can be found growing in small vegetable gardens in Springvale and the Dawn Winery. While they are not actively raised, Philanemo Mushrooms can be also found abundantly within the residential areas of Mondstadt and have been incorporated into Mondstadters' diets. Some fruits, such as cocoa fruit and lemon, are used in everyday cuisine but are not items typically encountered in-game.

While cows themselves have not been seen in-game, the icon and description for milk indicate that milk cows exist in Mondstadt, and dairy products are utilized in Mondstadt dishes.

Architecture

Much of the City of Mondstadt is constructed in Gothic style and Fachwerk (timberframing).

Outside of the city, most towns and villages have smaller houses that are designed in a more traditional style, such as the Classic Country Home. While fireplaces are no longer needed in Mondstadt due to its constantly-moderate climate, housing styles do not seem to have changed much. Thanks to the shorter height of the houses there, Springvale is often used as a practice ground for people learning how to use Wind Gliders.

Education

It appears that most people are tutored for general education, and people may choose to enter a certain trade and become apprenticed to a master for further instruction, like how Schulz is apprenticed to Wagner and how Sucrose and Timaeus are assistants for Albedo to learn more about alchemy. The literacy rate in Mondstadt appears to be quite high, as no Mondstadt NPCs are illiterate like there are in the neighboring nation of Liyue. The only known Mondstadt character in present-day who is illiterate is Razor, though this is due to him being raised by the wolves of Wolvendom.

The Mondstadt Library was once the largest library in the northern half of Teyvat. However, after most of the library burned down during the Great Fire of Fall Equinox at an unknown point in the past, it was reduced to one-sixth of its original size.

Prior to Albedo's arrival to Mondstadt, Mondstadters thought little of alchemy, believing it to be nothing more than "putting broken odds and ends" together. Their views have changed since then, with Timaeus promoting alchemy's benefits to the people of Mondstadt.

Cuisine

Main page: Category:Mondstadt Dishes

True to Mondstadt's reputation as the nation of wine and song, alcohol comprises a defining part of Mondstadt cuisine. As a result, ingredients used in alcohol production (such as apples) are often featured in their dishes. Mondstadt's notable dishes include Moon Pie, "Pile 'Em Up," Mondstadt Grilled Fish, and Mondstadt Hash Browns. Dandelion wine is their most famous beverage, followed by both alcoholic and non-alcoholic apple cider.

Milk, butter, cheese, and cream are commonly used in Mondstadt dishes, which suggests they have dairy cattle and by extension a dairy industry, although cattle cannot be found in-game. Befitting the "Land of Pastorals," six out of eight of the nation's local specialties are known to be edible, while the two that have no currently known culinary use (Cecilias and Windwheel Asters) are likely edible as well.

Mondstadt's alcohol industry comprises a wide array of alcoholic beverages. In addition to grape wines, hard ciders made of apple and cherry have been mentioned, beer tankards can be found in Angel's Share, and jagerschnapps (a portmanteau of the real-life Jägermeister and schnapps) have also been mentioned. Mondstadt's most famous alcoholic product is dandelion wine, which is similar to absinthe in strength.

Most people in Mondstadt are unable to tolerate spicy tastes - Vile claims that roughly 86% of the population refuses to go near a Jueyun Chili and that Diluc ended up refusing a partnership with Snezhnayan merchants with their Fire-Water after drinking it and being knocked out for three days.

In more recent times, at Diluc's request, the Dawn Winery has been expanding their repertoire to non-alcoholic drinks, such as non-alcoholic apple cider and grape juice. The former has proven to be a big hit, with monthly sales on par with that of dandelion wine. In addition to cocktails, Angel's Share has a fairly extensive menu of non-alcoholic drinks comprised of coffees, teas, juices, and blended mixes. Fizzy water is used in some drinks, which indicates that Angel's Share either has a source of naturally carbonated water, or they utilize artificial carbonation techniques.

Music

Lyres play a prominent part in Mondstadt's traditional music, dating back to Decarabian's era. During that time, lyres were much larger and stood on the floor, much like a harp.

Thanks to Alice's influence, Mondstadt has begun developing an idol subculture through Barbara.

Sword Arts

Main article: Martial Arts in Teyvat § Mondstadt

Mystic Arts

Main article: Mystic Arts in Teyvat § Mondstadt

Designs, Motifs, and Symbols

See also: Symbols in Teyvat

The following designs, motifs, and symbols are largely exclusive to the Mondstadt region or Mondstadt-affiliated parties.

Character Cards

Mondstadt Character Cards contain a large circle inlaid with a smaller circle aligned towards the bottom of the larger circle. At the top center of the large circle is the Mondstadt Vision symbol, with the character's element inlaid inside it. Five icons can be found to each side of the Vision, growing smaller in size as the space between the large and smaller circles decreases.

The bottom three icons on both sides are identical: the bottom is a dandelion leaf, above it is a dandelion flower, and above that is a Windwheel Aster. The remaining four icons each represent one of the Four Winds: the Falcon of the West (bottom left), the Wolf of the North (top left), the Lion of the South (top right), and the Dragon of the East (bottom right).

As seen on Albedo

Old Mondstadt Symbol

The Old Mondstadt symbol (unofficial name) is a prominent design related to Mondstadt's history, whether under Decarabian's reign or the Mondstadt Aristocracy's. Its general form can be recognized as a pair of outstretched wings with a tail at the bottom. Several variations exist, and which is the original version or what it symbolized is unknown. As a whole, they may be based on the visually-similar Anemo symbol.

The most prominent version can be found on the weapon ascension materials related to Decarabian, on the Royal Series weapons, and on the Noblesse Oblige artifact set. It has two "feathers" per wing, with two shorter protrusions along the top of the wings. The tail have two inward-pointing "feathers" that form a diamond out of negative space.

The Lawrence Clan's Glacial Seal is another version and can be seen on Eula's talent symbols, namecard, and idle animation.

The Anemo symbol's differences from the Old Mondstadt symbol can be seen at the top, where the two protrusions are instead a third set of feathers on the wings. Furthermore, the tail forms a triangle with white space instead of negative space, and the inward-pointing feathers along the tail no longer exist.

The Old Mondstadt symbol on Fragment of Decarabian's Epic

The symbol on the Royal Silver Urn

The symbol on Royal Grimoire

The Glacial Seal on Eula's talent, Roiling Rime

The Anemo symbol, the possible inspiration for the Old Mondstadt symbol

Decarabian's Cercelée

See also: Decarabian's Mondstadt § Architecture and Design

Decarabian's cercelée is a cross with two rounded-in curls on each end. It is seen as a design motif on walls and pillars within Stormterror's Lair, as well as on some ruins related to Decarabian located outside of the city.

Decarabian's cercelée

Knights of Favonius Crest

Two versions of the Knights of Favonius crest exist. One can be seen on the shields within the Knights of Favonius Headquarters, while the other version can be seen on the Knights of Favonius uniforms, with the current exception of Kaeya. They are typically placed on the breastplate for standard uniforms, or along the midsection of custom uniforms.

The version seen on shields appears to be a truncated version of the full version seen on uniforms. The entire bottom portion is missing, while the bottom part of the top portion has been shifted upwards, taking up the negative space present in the full version.

The crest on the standard male uniform (Swan)

The Knights of Favonius crest on Amber's uniform

The crest on the Favonius Coat of Arms

Church of Favonius Symbol

This symbol is displayed on the headwear of those affiliated with the Church of Favonius (with the notable exception of Rosaria). It seems to be a variant on the fleur-de-lis with an emphasis on wide, downward curving 'wings'. It bears passing resemblance to both the Anemo symbol and the Christian cross.

Seamus Pegg

Barbara, the Deaconess

Victoria

Economy

Mondstadt's economy largely revolves the production and export of alcohol. The Dawn Winery is Mondstadt's finest purveyor of alcoholic drinks and is the undisputed leader of Mondstadt's alcohol industry. Dawn Winery is also a leader in the alcohol industry in all of Teyvat, and merchants and businesses from other nations have tried to gain understanding, both honestly and dishonestly, about the methods that lead to the high quality of the alcohol from Dawn Winery, especially its signature Dandelion Wine. In addition, merchants from Liyue purchase alcohol from Mondstadt and resell it to the rest of Teyvat, both legitimately as trade unions who import Mondstadt's alcohol and not so legitimately as individual merchants.

Apart from traveling merchants (especially from Liyue, who use the Stone Gate), Mondstadt also conducts trade with other nations through their ports, one of them being Dornman Port.

Fashion

Mondstadt fashion is generally inspired by tracht, the traditional garments in German-speaking regions.

Men's Fashion

Male children's attire
(Timmie)

Men's attire, version 1
(Anthony)

Men's attire, version 2
(Stevens)

Men's attire, version 3
(Connor)

Men's attire, version 4
(Allan)

Men's attire, version 5
(Jotun)

Elderly men's attire
(Tunner)

Boys in Mondstadt wear short-sleeved tunics with short vests, as well as short trousers similar to lederhosen. Men tend to wear wide trousers tucked into tall boots.

Women's Fashion

Female children's attire (Flora)

Women's attire, version 1 (Eury)

Women's attire, version 2 (Vile)

Women's attire, version 3 (Marjorie)

Women's attire, version 4 (Troubled Lianne)

Girls' attire and the fourth version of women's attire are more obviously based on the dirndl, a type of Germanic folk costume. The girls' costume typically comes in pink (like Flora's) or blue (like Tia's). The women's dirndl is usually seen in red (Margaret), orange (Myrana), or blue (Donna).

The first and second versions of women's attire are similar besides the blouse and bodice (or lack thereof, in the second version's case). Besides that, they have the same type of detached sleeve, bloomers, and short boots. The first version has three main color schemes: white and blue (Ellin), white and green (Anna), or light brown and dark brown (Dr. Livingstone).

The third version of women's attire features a double breasted jacket with puff sleeves over a knee-length dress. It comes in two colors: a gray jacket with a blue dress and short gloves (Marjorie, Dr. Edith, and Freki), or a purple/black jacket with a white dress and long gloves (Patchi the Curious and Esther). Notably, the second version has only been used on researchers; whether this is coincidence, or if they are part of a research organization, is unknown.

Bard's Clothing

Male bard attire
(Alfred)

Female bard attire
(Sansa)

Currently, only one clothing style exists for each gender. Men wear a white-and-green striped shirt underneath a green jacket, with green pants, white boots, and a green cravat. Women wear a white blouse and brown skirt covered by a red dress.

Maid Uniforms

Maid attire, version 1
(Adelinde)

Maid attire, version 2
(Hillie)

Mondstadt's maid uniforms have their appreciators in neighboring countries. Master Hui obtained such uniforms for his servant Xi the Maid to wear, something that she explains as a "curious hobby of his."

Church of Favonius Habits

Black Church of Favonius habit
(Grace)

White Church of Favonius habit
(Vind)

There are two main versions of the Church of Favonius habit worn by sisters of the order. One is black, which seems to be the more common form, while the white version has so far only been seen on Vind and Jilliana. It is currently unknown whether these colors represent their status in the church.

While there are men in the Church of Favonius, such as the current Seneschal Seamus Pegg and his substitute, Cardinal Calvin, there are currently no male Church of Favonius NPCs in the game so the designs for their habits are unknown.

Knights of Favonius Uniforms

Men's Uniform 1 - Plain
(Swan)

Men's Uniform 2 - Brass
(Lawrence)

Women's Uniform
(Hertha)

The standard men's uniform consists of a black long-sleeve shirt, horse riding pants, gloves, and brown leather shoulder pads. The white plate armor the Knights wear have two variations of their appearance: brass-accented and plain. Wing motifs decorate various parts of the armor and the Knights of Favonius crest is seen on the breastplate.

The standard women's uniform consists of a black long-sleeved shirt, tight-fitting pants, and gray knee-length skirt with white plate armor worn on top. Unlike men, the women do not wear poleyns to cover the knees and only have greaves on their legs.

Not all Knights have a sword. For those who do, men keep their swords sheathed and hung from their belt at their left side while women's swords are on their right side. Only a few Knights are known to keep a blowing horn on their person. The sword used by the Knights resembles the shape of the Traveler's Handy Sword.

Festivals and Holidays

Windblume Festival

Main article: Windblume Festival

The Windblume Festival is a celebration of love and friendship. Much of the festival revolves around the titular Windblume, a flower which was said to have been used as a symbol of freedom and resistance during Decarabian's era. Over the ages, the nature of the Windblume has been lost, and so which flower found throughout Mondstadt is the "real" Windblume is a subject of popular debate during the festival.

Ludi Harpastum

Main article: Ludi Harpastum

Ludi Harpastum is a fifteen-day festival filled with food, games, and music, intended to commemorate how Barbatos taught his people to brew wine and live freely. The champion of the games gets to choose a maiden, who will throw the Harpastum — a ball wrapped in red cloth — at the end of the festival. Whoever picks up the ball is said to enjoy good fortune for a year.

Weinlesefest

Main article: Weinlesefest

Weinlesefest is a festival in Mondstadt revolving around making new wine and inviting the Anemo Archon to drink if the Anemo Archon is happy with the wine.

Languages

For the most part, Mondstadt predominantly uses the common language, with some signs using another language.

The letters of the common language appear to be a mirrored and broken up version of Fraktur, a font that was typical for medieval Germany and that was still in use up until the early 20th century. The secondary language appears to be a simpler, reversed form of the Roman alphabet.

While the common language uses the aforementioned historic German font, all texts are written in English. German is less commonly used for names and titles, such as Venti's lyre Der Himmel or in Fischl's chosen name Fischl von Luftschloss Narfidort. However, German has not been seen in written form in the game world and so it is unknown whether it uses a different writing system from the common language.

Politics

Before Vennessa's rebellion, the Lawrence Clan were the ones who governed Mondstadt. While they initially ruled just, they eventually became corrupted by greed and arrogance, ruling the country with an iron fist.

After her rebellion, the clan was thrown out and the Knights of Favonius were established to replace them. While they are not an explicit ruling entity per Barbatos' request to let the people live in freedom, they are still seen by other organizations such as the Liyue Qixing and Fatui as the ruling party. The Knights of Favonius are mostly based in the city of Mondstadt, but generally patrol the surrounding countryside, resolving disputes and other threats such as hilichurl attacks.

Varka is the Grand Master of the knights, essentially making him the nation's leader, though he had left prior to the events of the game to lead an expedition; thus, Jean is the current representative until he returns.

Travel Highlights

The Teyvat Travel Highlights are a series of publications by the Adventurers' Guild, posted on the Genshin Impact official website. Their author is unknown.

First Visit to Mondstadt

The City of Freedom, the Crown of the North, the Romantic City of Pastorals — these are names heralded by poets and artists alike for the renowned city of Mondstadt.

I am devoted to poetry, music, wine, and festivities as much as the next bard; they are literally and metaphorically the sustenance of my life. Therefore, just as any bard would be, I am drawn to Mondstadt like a moth to a flame.

What caught my attention recently was the sightings of a dragon near Mondstadt. This has had the city folk wrapped in rumors and speculations, myself included. Maybe my curiosity got the better of me, or perhaps I too have the blood of an adventurer inside of me, for I am determined to venture forth to the City of Freedom that I have yearned for so long.

I took the route inland, for I very much prefer the company of changing terrains and mountains to the eternal blue. Traversing the treacherous Wolvendom took additional time, but I finally reached the Whispering Woods on the outskirts of Mondstadt four weeks ago. As its name would suggest, the sound of the wind caressing the leaves was like whispers in the woods. Could it be a gracious gift from the legendary bard, Barbatos the Anemo Archon, who the people of Mondstadt worship?

It is close to summer at this time of the year, and the temperate climate across the region is evident: Starfell Plains exhibits great vitality in the spring breeze. The trails and roads have sprung to life with flourishing flora, like Lamp Grass and Sweet Flowers.

Encounters with members of the Adventurers' Guild are frequent. They are likely brought here by the rumors of the dragon as well. I am much obliged to them, with them present my journey has been unperilous.

The vistas of the plains are invigorating. My first time camping out in the wilds also proved to be quite an experience, short-lived as it was, for I reached the gates of Mondstadt the following day.

The clear water from Cider Lake flows into the city through the ancient irrigation ditches, converging at the great fountain situated in the center of the plaza.

Stone steps lead up to a towering Cathedral, serving as the highest landmark in the city. The Cathedral's immediate surroundings feature an unworldly serenity, quite the juxtaposition with the bustling marketplace only a few blocks away.

The Mondstadt Cathedral undoubtedly puts all other Cathedrals I've visited to shame in terms of grandeur and magnificence. The ever-present prayers from the devoted sisters and followers have given the Cathedral the divinity it enjoys. Though perhaps not as traditional as other Cathedrals, the Mondstadt Cathedral bears the spirit of its people and culture. Legend has it that the Holy Lyre der Himmel, which Barbatos used to liberate Mondstadt centuries ago, is kept right here in its halls.

I've heard the stories of the legendary Anemo Archon and his beloved lyre in many taverns across the continent, as they are a second home to bards and musicians. The story goes: Mondstadt was ruled by the Aristocrats in the distant past, who periodically sacrificed slaves to a drake as tributes for a false treaty of peace. Vennessa, one of the slaves at the time, defeated the drake with the help of the Anemo Archon themselves, who had taken on the guise of a bard. Together, they liberated and revitalized the city of Mondstadt.

I have to admit, Mondstadt indeed is a free and open city; this fact is evident in its culture and people. Earlier, I asked a lively young maiden on the street for directions. As soon as she learned that I was a bard from afar, she kindly extended an offer to show me around the marketplace.

Truth to be told — with no disrespect — this young maiden, who claimed to be a member of the Knights of Favonius, was a bit too much for a simple bard such as me; her generous tour around the city only ended at midnight. I have no time to take to my notebook to pen down how the city is at night, for the calling of the bed is beyond what even the sister's prayers could keep at bay.

Good night. May the Anemo Archon, the protector of Mondstadt, be my muse, and gift me with wondrous rhymes at dawn.

Memo:
- Trekking Poles (The mountains of Mondstadt are said to be both beautiful and treacherous. In addition to providing stability on tough terrains, the trekking poles could serve as weapons if need be.)
- Compass and maps (Though we bards sing of the night skies of Mondstadt, most are not equipped with the skills nor the confidence to navigate by the stars, myself included.)
- First-Aid Kit
- The Teyvat Wilderness Survivalist's Recipes, by Lynn the Survivalist. (A bestselling cookbook owned by every traveler and adventurer.)
- Rations, water, cookware (Although ingredients are all around us in the wild, emergency rations are a must; better safe than sorry.)
- Notebooks and felt pens kept handy to answer a muse's calling.
- Tent and sleeping bag for camping (Recommended by the Adventurers' Guild.)
- Flints and pocket knife (For cooking and roasting food on the road, or to protect against wild beasts.)
- Select Works of Alan the Bard
- The almighty Mora

Ludi Harpastum

For us freedom-loving bards, it is our journey, and not our destination that we most enjoy. Or at least, that is what I believed for many decades before arriving in Mondstadt.

Today marks my tenth day in Mondstadt, a complete contradiction to my initial itinerary. (I was originally to leave for my next destination two days ago.)

One reason I've decided to stay is that I found Mondstadt to be perfectly faithful to its depiction by Alan the Bard, whose poetry inspires me the most. Its sweet and mysterious secrets are hidden in unknown spots, silently yearning to be discovered. However, if I'm truly honest, my stay in Mondstadt has been extended because of Ludi Harpastum, an annual festival in the city. What a delight! How could I miss out on such an occasion?

I once heard a drunk Mondstadt merchant say that when Mondstadt was still but a small village, it was graced by the feather of a free bird, dropped by Barbatos. It was that feather that allowed Mondstadt to become the city it is today. Ever since, a commemoration has taken place every year to thank the Anemo Archon for his blessing. Over time, this commemoration grew to be the huge festival that we all know as Ludi Harpastum. Nowadays, it is fifteen days full of exquisite wine, poetry, music, flowers, and rituals. At this time of the year, the whole city bursts with joy and freedom.

The citizens of Mondstadt were already busy preparing for the festival on the day I arrived.

Taverns and restaurants display their finest dishes at their doorstep, while Dawn Winery delivers plenty of barrels filled with craft beer and cider. (Believe me, Mondstadt has all the best brews in Teyvat.) Barbatos' guidance will lead you through the happy streets of Mondstadt, where all kinds of cheese, grilled meat, and fresh fruit release delicious fragrances. Each family hangs a handmade Harpastum on their doors, made by the lady of their household. Inspired bards from all over the continent stop in their tracks to sing their wonderful poems.

I'm sure that folks nowadays have forgotten about the original sacred aspect of Ludi Harpastum and might see it as a mere succession of lively events, no different from any ordinary festival. However, to us bards with a keen eye for detail, Ludi Harpastum is definitely the best festival in the mystical land of Teyvat. Even an outsider to Mondstadt like me can enjoy the feelings of freedom and independence that are unique to this city in just a short amount of time.

In my opinion, the people and customs of Mondstadt are freer than in any other place in Teyvat, and it shows during the exciting festivities of Ludi Harpastum which last all night long.

I attended the gliding championship during the last days of the festival, standing among the cheerful crowd on the plaza next to the Cathedral. There, I immediately recognized the girl who showed me around Mondstadt on my first day. I remembered her proudly telling me about being a gliding champion, though I had doubted her at the time. Now that I've seen her glide with my own eyes, like a red flash tearing through the sky, I have no choice but to admit that Barbatos blessed his people with freedom, courage, vitality and fierce willpower. All of these things run deep in their veins.

Of course, I needed to find a way to apologize to the great Anemo Archon for being skeptical of his disciple. After the championship, I quietly hung a poem that I wrote for the young girl in fiery red on the most obvious wind chime in the plaza, in the hope that she would find my apologies and best wishes — things I was too ashamed to tell her myself.

Even in the middle of the night, it's not unusual to hear noise and to see the market being illuminated by glowing lights when I gaze outside my window. When I one day become too old to travel, I wish to settle in a small house I'd build in a sunny place on the outskirts of Mondstadt. If people were to knock on my door to bring me craft beer from Angel's Share, I'd welcome them with my most passionate verses.