On November 12, Sina reported that Lý Tử Thất has returned after a three-year hiatus from video updates due to a contract dispute with her management company. Despite being absent for over 1,200 days, the “Rural Fairy” is warmly welcomed by her audience. On the social media platform Weibo, many fans expressed their longing for Lý Tử Thất and affirmed that no one could replace her.
On her personal page, Lý Tử Thất shared two videos with different content. One video captures her building a bamboo house, which she uses to display outfits made from fabric she produced herself, including sewing and embroidery. These products were previously introduced by Lý Tử Thất in earlier videos.
Her video content still exudes a serene, poetic atmosphere, transporting viewers back to nature and an ancient space where people created all their daily necessities by hand.
In the second video, the beauty showcases her skills in carving lacquer, known as Diaoqi—a form of ancient lacquer carving used in royal courts.
Lý Tử Thất introduced Diaoqi, which phonetically resembles her name, using this video to mark her comeback. Within just six hours, her Diaoqi video garnered over 120 million views, becoming the hottest keyword on Weibo with over 24 million interactions.
According to Sina, during her hiatus from video updates, Lý Tử Thất was not idle. She pursued traditional skills such as woodblock printing, which required meticulous research, leading to some videos taking her two years to complete. This dedication sets Lý Tử Thất apart from others producing similar video content.
Additionally, the “Rural Fairy” participates in various activities promoting and preserving traditional culture—an endeavor highly valued by Chinese authorities.
Lý Tử Thất has been recognized by CCTV as a cultural ambassador. The female vlogger also participates in many events related to promoting tea, sweets, and handicrafts. These activities have helped Lý Tử Thất enhance her reputation, becoming a leading figure in content creation in China.
“Although there are many videos promoting traditional culture, I feel none of them are as healing as Lý Tử Thất’s videos. Every time I watch her videos, my heart calms down,” said one fan. “Many people vlog about nature, but I only like her videos,” another commented. “Whenever life gets stressful, I watch Lý Tử Thất’s videos to regain my calm,” another viewer expressed. “Her videos have a unique quality—poetic and meticulous, unmistakably hers,” one added. “It was worth the wait,” another fan remarked. “She is indeed very beloved, with a following surpassing many artists,” many viewers expressed their admiration for Lý Tử Thất.
In July 2021, Lý Tử Thất stopped filming her rural life videos due to conflicts with her management company.
According to the female blogger, due to disproportionate investment ratios, she suffered financial losses and became a mere tool for profit. Although her management company earned billions of yuan each year, Lý Tử Thất received only a meager share. Although “Lý Tử Thất” is her stage name, it was registered as a trademark by the company, putting her at risk of losing her career.
After a year of litigation, in December 2022, Lý Tử Thất regained control of her company, Tử Thất Tứ Xuyên, from the former owner. In the new agreement, the company is fully owned by Lý Tử Thất with 99% of the shares, while the remaining 1% belongs to Wú Niệm Hàng Châu. CEO Lưu Đồng Minh withdrew from the company due to disputes with Lý Tử Thất that led to a fading relationship.
