The “soul” of the Tarot, Major Arcana symbolizes life’s great mysteries. The cards in this “book” represent higher, spiritual forces at work in our lives. They can be interpreted as an indicator of fate or destiny, karma or dharma at work. When a Major Arcana card shows up in a reading, it suggests spiritual forces beyond your conscious control are operating in the matter. The Major Arcana is also known as the Journey of the Fool that leads from innocence to enlightenment.
The Fool, the first of the Major Arcana cards, symbolizes the emergence of consciousness, the first step on this magickal sojourn. The World, the last card, symbolizes the end of the journey and union with the Divine. As a whole, the Major Arcana shows both the pilgrim’s quest toward wisdom and the soul’s trip back to the Source. Each of the cards in the Major Arcana can be viewed as a lesson or possible experiences available to us during human existence.
The Fool represents a youthful hero — usually portrayed as someone with an innocent, childlike state who is open to receiving guidance and instruction — who must go out into the world to seek his fortune. Along the way, he encounters numerous trials and adventures that build his character. In many stories, the Fool is often accompanied by the Magician as their guide.
A youthful hero who is on a quest to unite with a divine being and is accompanied by a guide along his journey. Does that story remind you of a certain video game in particular?
Disclaimer
- Tarot readings involved a combination of Major Arcana (22 cards) and Minor Arcana (56 cards). However, for the sake of my own sanity, I’ll just go through the Major Arcana ones.
- This will not cover all of the currently playable characters in Genshin (and her) Impact since there are more than 22 characters so I sincerely apologise if your favorite characters are not in it. If it’s any consolation, I didn’t put Albedo and Xiangling here as well and they’re two of my favorites.
- Can I do a reading myself? Yes. I used to do them a lot to friends and coworkers back in 2017–2018 but haven’t done it again in a while.
- All sources of information will be linked in the Appendix section below.
- There’s a powerpoint version of this. The link to access it is available at the Appendix section below. For easy access, please use the “Find” feature from your browser to instantly go to the Appendix section.
O — The Fool: Traveler
- Keywords: Innocence, beginnings, trust, hope, opportunity
What is the meaning of the card?
- The first card in the Major Arcana, The Fool represents innocence and faith, the naive confidence of youth.
- Often shown as a young traveler, they embark on an adventure without a care in the world, unconcerned about the potential dangers that lurk ahead on the path.
- They’re often portrayed as an individual who carries all of their worldly possessions tied in a small bag on a stick over his shoulder, suggesting they don’t have a lot of “baggage” yet and are open to life’s experiences.
- The Fool symbolizes the blind leap of faith we all must take upon entering the journey of life.
Why the Traveler?
- As the Fool can be viewed as the protagonist or the main character of the story, the Traveler easily fits into this category. At the beginning of the story, the Traveler is an innocent, albeit clueless, soul who is not familiar with Teyvat and its surrounding nations.
- Eventually, they learned more and more about the world as time went by, whether it’s through quests or information received from other characters.
I — The Magician: Paimon
- Keywords: Hidden power, magickal ability, mastering unseen forces, inner guidance
What is the meaning of the card?
- A powerful and wise figure, The Magician represents the ability to understand and command the unseen forces that operate in the universe.
- The Magician’s knowledge enables them to manipulate the material world by aligning it with the spiritual plane so they can create the circumstances they desire.
- The Magician can also be viewed as a representation of one’s inner guide who, if you listen carefully, will help you fulfill your potential.
Why Paimon?
- Although not explicitly stated, it is obvious that Paimon possessed a special power that allows her to assist the Traveler throughout their journey. As she seems to understand how things worked in Teyvat earlier or better than the Traveler, she can be seen as a guide for the Traveler and player in general.
II — The High Priestess: Lisa
- Keywords: Intuition, emotions, feminine power, imagination, spirituality, the inner life
What is the meaning of the card?
- The High Priestess symbolizes feminine spiritual power, or the Goddess from whom all life comes and to whom it all returns. Often depicted as a serene female figure who is surrounded with books or scrolls to indicate wisdom, she represented someone who is well aware of the dual nature of existence: good and evil, light and dark, truth and deception, positive and negative.
Why Lisa?
- Known as the best student that Sumeru Academia ever had in two hundred years, there is nothing more that can be said about Lisa and her accomplishments in her studies.
- The line “where there is a body of knowledge, the chances are that Lisa is acquainted with it” is enough to tell us that she is one of the most knowledgeable characters in the story. Additionally, she didn’t limit her extent of knowledge to just common ones but also forbidden ones, a true sign of someone who didn’t limit their wisdom to just one side in particular.
III — The Empress: Jean
- Keywords: Creativity, feminine power, mature women, fertility, pleasure
What is the meaning of the card?
- The Empress symbolizes feminine power in the material world, in contrast to The High Priestess, who represents feminine spiritual power.
- Often depicted as a mature female figure, sometimes seated on a throne and surrounded by flowers and vegetation, the Empress also represents someone who governs procreation, nurturing, the security and comforts of home, and domestic harmony.
Why Jean?
- The Acting Grand Master for the Knights of Favonius, Jean is someone who takes her role seriously and always gives every task the same amount of attention, regardless of how trivial it may seem. She is incredibly devoted to Mondstadt and is well liked by everyone in Mondstadt.
- Despite her role and skills, Jean believes that protecting is always a better, albeit tougher, solution compared to destroying. From her storyline, we know that she would rather be a shield that defends freedom and song than a sword that cuts through corruption and darkness.
- Adding her clan’s motto — “For Mondstadt, as always” — into the equation, it is safe to assume that Jean would do anything to protect and ensure that harmony will always exist in the one place she called home.
IV — The Emperor: Diluc
- Keywords: Leadership, masculine power, mature men, material success
What is the meaning of the card?
- A figure of supreme authority, The Emperor is often depicted as a mature man seated on a throne as a warrior bearing a shield and sword, or outdoors where he wields power in the natural world.
- There are many archetypes that the Emperor represents. From the savvy executive, the brave warrior, to the responsible civic leader who has reached the summit of authority and achieved worldly power. He’s a symbol of responsibility, intelligence, and courage who fights for what he believes in. As such, he’s a protective male figure who teaches how to govern wisely in this world.
Why Diluc?
- Despite his dislike towards the Knights of Favonius as an organization, he does have faith and respects some members from it. In addition, his Darknight Hero shows that, despite everything that has happened, he does care about the Mondstadt citizens and will do his absolute best to protect them.
- In addition, his employees and people who knew him put a lot of trust in his skills, both as a former knight of Favonius and as a businessman. That says a lot of his skill as a leader to his men.
V — The Hierophant: Venti
- Keywords: Spiritual authority, leadership, tradition, institutions
What is the meaning of the card?
- The Hierophant is a figure of authority and power although they’re more of a spiritual nature. They’re often depicted as a religious leader or someone who’s dedicated to a religion or philosophy.
- The card can also be read as telling one to according to the beliefs that one shares with a group or organization.
Why Venti?
- Despite his playful personality and bard persona, Venti is still Barbatos, the God of Wind, and a revered figure to the citizens of Mondstadt. He consciously behaves differently, treating himself (as Venti) and his true identity, the Anemo Archon, as two different entities, speaking wisely and somewhat philosophically whenever he assumes his Anemo Archon persona.
VI — The Lovers: Kaeya
- Keywords: Partnership, union of opposites, choices, harmony, cooperation
What is the meaning of the card?
- Despite its name and how it is often depicted in illustration, the Lovers is not a card that is strictly about romantic love and union. Rather, this card is about cooperation, of working together with others to accomplish a joint purpose.
- The card can also represent a period of harmony, in personal or professional matters. Sometimes it indicates you need to make a choice between two things you value, but you’ll make the right decision.
Why Kaeya?
- As someone who is of Khaenri’ah ancestry yet was raised mostly in Mondstadt, Kaeya can be said to live in two worlds. As time goes by, we can see that he’s trying his best to coexist as both someone of Khaenri’ah ancestry (and former spy) and captain for the Mondstadt knights.
VII — The Chariot: Keqing
- Keywords: Controlling opposing forces, willpower, resolving conflict, travel
What is the meaning of the card?
- Often depicted as a strong figure holding the reins of two horses or sphinx-like beasts to signify opposing forces, the Chariot is all about taking control of competing forces — whether these are inner conflicts, people, or a situation in your life — in order to reach your goals.
- Additionally, it can also represent someone with a strong willpower who is able to keep up with the changes that are happening and is always able to take control of their own lives.
Why Keqing?
- Born to a noble family and currently serving as the Yuheng of Liyue Qixing, Keqing’s willpower is no doubt stronger than most. Her opposing views regarding the gods put her at odds with most members of Liyue Qixing but she’s nothing if not persistent. Still, even if she acknowledges that the departure of Rex Lapis does put Liyue Harbor through a great deal of hardship, she is still resolute and tenacious when it comes to performing her duties. Good and hard times will come and go but Keqing’s willpower remains the same.
VIII — Strength: Beidou
- Keywords: Inner power, overcoming weaknesses, courage, persistence
What is the meaning of the card?
- Often illustrated as a card where one struggles with their “animal” nature, Strength is also symbolic in the way it portrays self-confidence and inner strength.
- Strength shows someone who exhibits moral courage and fortitude and has learned to work with their instinctive nature, to listen to it and hear its whisperings. The card indicates someone who came out of trials and tribulations as a stronger individual, both in the physical and mental sense.
Why Beidou?
- Beidou’s strength is something that is acknowledged by everyone around her. After all, not just anyone can win a battle against a sea monster. Not to mention the fact she was vision-less back then.
- But her strength is not limited to just physical. Her mental fortitude is the reason why she’s able to reach her current position and why, despite their disagreements, the Qixing’s Tianquan put so much faith in her.
IX — The Hermit: Zhongli
- Keywords: Guidance, solitude, inner wisdom, self-evaluation
What is the meaning of the card?
- The Hermit is often depicted as a seeker after truth as they light the way ahead for those who follow. The archetypal elder figure, the sage of myth and legend, the Hermit radiates wisdom and functions as a teacher and guide and can be shown looking away at what only he can see.
- The Hermit can recommend withdrawing from the busyness and distractions of the outer world to do some soul-searching.
Why Zhongli?
- Liyue citizens viewed Rex Lapis not just as an archon but as a guide for their day-to-day activities. They seeked his guidance, especially those from the Lique Qixing. It was also known that his departure put Liyue Harbor through a great deal of hardship. As such, it’s safe to assume that he’s a symbol of guidance and wisdom to his people.
X— Wheel of Fortune: Ningguang
- Keywords: Change, destiny, unexpected turn of events, good luck
What is the meaning of the card?
- A symbol of change, the Wheel of Fortune signifies a new phase in life as a result of one’s previous actions. Destiny is at work and all one can do is to accept whatever happens and attune themselves to the forces operating now. Whether the changes are good or bad, the Wheel of Fortune symbolizes a turning point in one’s life and offers a chance to grow.
Why Ningguang?
- The Tianquan of Qixing who built her own Jade Chamber from scratch, no one understands the value of hard work better than Ningguang herself. She’s not someone who would turn a blind eye towards the common folk. If we were to go by her vision origin story as well, it could be said that how she came to achieve it is mostly by chance and an unexpected turn of events; from wanting to sell it before finally accepting it.
XI — Justice: Xingqiu
- Keywords: Rectification, decision, finding balance, legal matters
What is the meaning of the card?
- The Justice card often depicts a robbed and crowned figure who is not blind or blindfolded, suggesting divine justice is at work here rather than the laws of humankind.
- The Justice card’s purpose is to tell one to seek for guidance from within first and foremost and to not solely rely on others. Whatever the situation, one must always calmly and carefully weigh all the factors before taking action or reaching a decision.
Why Xingqiu?
- To Xingqiu, chivalry simply means: Be good, and do good. He is someone who cannot tolerate injustice and does not appreciate it when people question the true motives of chivalrous heroes. To add more on this, his Hydro vision means he’s more or less aligned with the Hydro archon, whose divine ideal is Justice.
XII — The Hanged Man: Xiao
- Keywords: Letting go, surrender, seeing things from a different perspective, sacrifice
What is the meaning of the card?
- The Hanged Man usually hangs upside down by one leg, although this doesn’t seem to bother him — he appears quite nonchalant and can be seen as someone who has surrendered to the situation. They can be seen as someone who is ready to make sacrifices and let go of their old patterns or attitudes.
- Some interpretation sees the Hanged Man as someone who is suspended between the past and the future. Despite that, they know that they have to make a choice and that letting go is essential to their continued growth.
Why Xiao?
- The last of the Yaksha, Xiao is constantly afflicted by his negative karmic burdens due to the endless slaughter performed under the rule of an evil god. From the origin story of his name, we learned that Rex Lapis gave him the name Xiao from a spirit who encountered great suffering and hardship.
- Additionally, having lived for thousands of years, Xiao has witnessed how Liyue and the world has changed since he first stepped into the world. Whether he likes it or not, he has to accept these changes and learn to see things from a different perspective.
XIII —Death: Qiqi
- Keywords: Transformation, metamorphosis, an ending, sacrifice, loss and rebirth
What is the meaning of the card?
- Although it might appear scary and tend to frighten people when it comes up, the Death card actually symbolizes a transformation at work and rarely predicts physical death itself.
- The Death card signifies the end, or death, of a cycle. As changes itself are unavoidable, the ultimate message of the Death card is the promise that new life follows disintegration. In a way, the card can be interpreted as a symbol of rebirth and metamorphosis.
Why Qiqi?
- Once an ordinary herb-picking child, Qiqi once lost her way and found herself caught in the crossfire in the realm of the adepti. As a result, she lost her life and found herself forever be trapped between life and death. Her Cryo vision, which was given to her in the last moment of her life, transforms her from a once ordinary child to a powerful Cryo zombie.
- Her journey and how she received her Vision perfectly symbolizes the rebirth and transformation aspects of the Death card, regardless of how she might act now.
XIV— Temperance: Chongyun
- Keywords: Moderation, harmony, acceptance, resolution, cooperation, patience
What is the meaning of the card?
- The Temperance card, often depicted as a winged individual, indicates a time of inner growth and outer harmony, the interplay of the spiritual and material worlds. One needs to learn to temper their ego with the needs of the spirit within. The two key elements of this card are, afterall, to maintain balance and how being patient can help support the goal.
Why Chongyun?
- Born with excessive Yang energy, Chongyun has spent his entire life struggling to keep his energy in check in fear of upsetting the balance of things. A bit cautious and calculating of his actions, Chongyun yearned nothing more than being able to fit in more.
- Balance. That’s the key to his overall approach in life.
XV— The Devil: Childe/Tartaglia
- Keywords: Obsession, indulgence, fear, materialism, egotism
What is the meaning of the card?
- More often than not, the Devil card pictured a medieval type of devil with horns and pitchfork. When the Devil card shows up, it means that one should reevaluate their current situation and perhaps consider letting go of old fears, hang-ups, inhibitions, and ways one has manipulated others to achieve their goals. It can also symbolize someone who is currently feeling trapped in their current situation or the feeling of having no control over things.
Why Childe/Tartaglia?
- As one of the most dangerous Harbingers members, it’s easy to assign the Devil card to him. Additionally, one of his goals is to conquer the world and he’s one of the in-game boss characters as well. However, having both vision and delusion, perhaps there’s more to him than a simple lust for battle.
XVI — The Tower: Razor
- Keywords: Change, freedom, upsets, destruction of the old
What is the meaning of the card?
- Despite its usual depiction of a fortresslike structure being destroyed by fire or lightning, the Tower does not necessarily represent ruin and devastation. When this card appears, it usually means one has ignored or denied something that’s rotten and needs to be blown apart. While there are other cards that symbolize changes as well, what sets the Tower apart from the other cards is that one usually already knows that they have to change their current situation but they didn’t do it until the situation itself has forced them to do it.
- The Tower represents a demand to free oneself from the imprisonment of a self-created fortress. In the wake of the chaos, a new order can grow.
Why Razor?
- The story of how Razor received his vision is akin to the visualization of the Tower card. In a way, it could be said that he’s both the tower and the lightning that struck it. One of the lines from his story even indicates that he threw off his shackles, a symbol of imprisonment, before avenging his fallen companions.
- In the wake of the chaos, Razor made a promise to himself to be stronger. Not just to protect himself, but to protect those he cares the most.
XVII — The Star: Barbara
- Keywords: Happiness, hope, light at the end of the tunnel, good fortune
What is the meaning of the card?
- The star is a universal symbol of hope. We see shooting stars as harbingers of good luck and we wish upon a star, for the star is a universal symbol of hope. As a card, the Star signals an end to problems and the start of a new, happier phase of life. In a way, it can be seen as the “light at the end of the tunnel card”, that it is a time of fulfillment, good fortune, creative inspiration, and spiritual growth.
- The Star represents someone who is in harmony with their life purpose, someone who has been using their gifts beneficially. It signifies inspiration, intuition, inner wisdom, and joy.
Why Barbara?
- Someone who is adored by the denizen of Mondstadt, Barbara herself has mixed feelings towards her own success. However, if her vision origin story is to go by, she is someone who is full of hope and will always, always do her best to heal the sick and bring joy to others around her. In a way, she’s a star in both the idol and literal sense.
XVIII — The Moon: Mona
- Keywords: Intuition, the unconscious, mystery, illusion, secrets
What is the meaning of the card?
- The Moon is a magical, mysterious card that symbolizes the unconscious, the realm of dreams, imagination, and psychic impressions. When the Moon shows up in readings, it means that one must pay more attention to their inner self, their lunar self. The light of the sun enables us to see the world around us, but the moon allows us to illuminate what springs naturally from inside us.
- The Moon also suggests psychic ability to sense other people’s vibrations since it means one is connected to the information network of the invisible world. The key message here is to pay more attention to your dreams, feelings, instincts, and intuition.
Why Mona?
- As far as the story goes, no one is more in tune with their inner self and has more resolve to study the realm of dreams and psychic impressions more than Mona. Ironically, she does not have any reverence for her Vision, which others consider to be a sign of divine favor and the source of all power. Still, she is someone who understands that the world is vast and if she wants to understand it better, she’ll have to spend her entire life studying it.
XIX — The Sun: Klee
- Keywords: Happiness, success, pleasure, self-expression, clarity, vitality
What is the meaning of the card?
- The Sun card features a blazing sun, sometimes with a face, sunbeams radiating out from it. The Sun card represents life itself, for the sun gives life to everything on earth. One of the most joyful cards in the tarot, it signifies vitality, confidence, achievement, attainment, and success in all endeavors. Even when reversed, the Sun is never a negative card. Instead, it can be read as indicating delays or making slight adjustments to your original plans.
Why Klee?
- Known as the Fleeing Sunlight herself, Klee is someone who is full of energy and loves playing with her friends and loved ones. Maybe it’s the fact that she’s still a child herself, maybe it’s her bomb-making skill, maybe it’s her Pyro vision, or maybe it’s a mix of all three of it but to say that Klee is the embodiment of the sun itself is not a stretch.
XX — Judgement: Hu Tao
- Keywords: Awakening, self-realization, choices, assessment, rebirth
What is the meaning of the card?
- The Judgment card often looks negative — and really, who likes to be judged? In a broader sense, Judgment represents a time of awakening and self-realization, when one must make adjustments to reflect who they truly are. In general, this card symbolizes regeneration and rebirth into wholeness after a period of confusion.
- It is only after one has gained self-awareness by judging their own actions and contemplating their choices that they can determine what exactly it is that they want to keep and what to toss on the scrap pile. This is a time of coming clean to oneself before becoming someone with greater clarity and maturity.
Why Hu Tao?
- If we were to go by Hu Tao’s vision origin story, we knew that she experienced a period of confusion after her grandfather’s passing. It wasn’t until she accepted the reality of the situation and let go of her grandfather that she was able to move forward with a smile on her face. The fact that she received a vision afterwards is merely a bonus to her journey.
XXI — The World: Traveler
- Keywords: Fulfillment, completion, achievement, mastery, wholeness
What is the meaning of the card?
- The World represents the end of the Fool’s Journey. After trekking down an arduous path of awakening, the Fool have finally reached their destination. The last card of the Major Arcana, it indicates fulfillment, achievement, balance, and wholeness — the completion of the journey from innocence to enlightenment. Harmony reigns and success is assured when the World appears upright.
Why Traveler again?
- Since the beginning, it is clear that our Fool (Traveler) has one clear goal in mind and that is to reunite with their sibling. This is where the rare occurrence where the representative of the Fool and the World cards are, technically, the same. But really, no other characters can fit in the description of the World better than the Traveler themselves
Summary
So that’s it. If you’re reading this to end, I have nothing else to say but offer you my sincere gratitude.
Should you be interested to hear more useless ramblings from me, feel free to follow me on Twitter. Thank you again.
Appendix
- Alexander, S. (2017). The Modern Witchcraft Book of Tarot: Your Complete Guide to Understanding the Tarot. Adams Media.
- Matthews, J. (2017). The Lost Tarot of Nostradamus. Tuttle Publishing.
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Traveler. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Traveler
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Paimon. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Paimon
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Lisa. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Lisa
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Jean. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Jean
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Diluc. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Diluc
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Venti. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Venti
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Kaeya. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Kaeya
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Keqing. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Keqing
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Beidou. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Beidou
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Zhongli. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Zhongli
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Ningguang. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Ningguang
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Xingqiu. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Xingqiu
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Xiao. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Xiao
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Qiqi. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Qiqi
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Chongyun. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Chongyun
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Tartaglia. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Tartaglia
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Razor. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Razor
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Barbara. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Barbara
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Mona. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Mona
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Klee. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Klee
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Hu Tao. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Hu_Tao
- Genshin Impact Wiki (2021, April 1). Traveler. https://genshin-impact.fandom.com/wiki/Traveler
- Powerpoint Link (Google Slides)
