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Chapter 22
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Poppy War, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Dehumanization and the Horrors of War
Identity, Cultural Trauma, and Coming of Age
The Purpose of Education
Addiction, Drugs, and Control
History
Summary
Analysis
The chapter begins with an expert on the Chuluu Korikh from The Seejin Classification of Deities. It describes how, long before the Red Emperor’s time, the people could barely figure out how to survive in Nikan. The gods in the Pantheon were reticent to help. Erlang Shen insisted that humans weren’t worthy of help, while his twin sister, Sanshengmu, insisted they needed to help. Erlang Shen forbade anyone from helping—but Sanshengmu escaped to Earth, barely escaping her brother. She “landed badly on Earth” in the form of a beautiful woman. After a man raped her and another stole her clothing, a third man—a hunter—rescued Sanshengmu. Sanshengmu fell in love with and married the hunter, and she taught his tribe how to ask the gods for help. People began to worship Sanshengmu herself, and Erlang Shen was angry.
Erlang Shen and Sanshengmu represent two opposing theories of how to be a person in the world. Erlang Shen proposes that everyone should look out for themselves, while Sanshengmu insists people have a responsibility to help others. This story also implies that Nikara society became great because of the connection it developed to the gods during this time. It’s thus somewhat concerning that in the novel’s present, people are mostly disconnected from the gods.
Themes
Sanshengmu and the hunter had a son, and on the boy’s first birthday, Erlang Shen burnt tents, killed the hunter and the boy, and decided to imprison his sister on earth as punishment for loving a mortal. A mountain appeared, and Erlang Shen threw his sister under it. There, she can’t use her powers, and it’s torturous. Now, stories abound about Sanshengmu and her son, who was supposedly the first shaman. Stories began to circulate about the Chuluu Korikh, including about the monkey king who was imprisoned there. Stories began in this time period, when shamans themselves came to be. The only thing anyone knows for certain about the Chuluu Korikh is that it’s the only place on Earth that “may contain a god.”
In a more practical sense, this excerpt helps readers understand exactly what the Chuluu Korikh is and what Rin is going to find when she and Altan travel there. They’re going to find imprisoned gods, some of whom have spent more than a thousand years unable to use their powers. Sanshengmu’s fall to earth and her imprisonment may have given this world shamans and the ability to commune with the gods. But this passage also implies that this has also turned the Chuluu Korikh into a ticking time bomb.
Themes
Back in the main storyline, Rin packs her things and avoids meeting Kitay’s eyes. Altan has forbidden Rin from speaking of their journey to anyone, but Rin wants Kitay to know what to expect in case they’re successful, so he can escape if needed. Finally, after trying to sidestep telling Kitay the truth, Rin finally tells him—and shockingly, he believes her and begins poking holes in Altan’s plan. He notes sarcastically that gods who have been buried alive will be absolutely thrilled to fight for Nikan—Altan must’ve been high when he came up with this idea. Rin and Altan figure that it’s better to try, as the alternative is the Federation murdering every Nikara they encounter.
Rin has spent years now trying to avoid telling Kitay what she learned in Lore, out of the fear that he’d not believe her—or worse, mock her. His reaction here suggests that her reticence to share perhaps reflected her own discomfort with the subject than Kitay’s—he doesn’t disbelieve her, but he does think that what they plan to do makes no logical sense and has low chances of success.
Themes
Altan calls the Cike together for a final briefing. He tells them to wait for Qara’s messenger bird and to listen to Chaghan while he’s gone, though he won’t say where Chaghan is. If he and Rin aren’t back in seven days, they’re probably dead. Rin hasn’t seen Altan so self-assured in years, and she figures that he finally has purpose and nobody to stop him. Hopefully, the country will survive. As Rin and Altan ride their horse south, Altan explains that Chaghan has already been to the Chuluu Korikh, as they believe the Gatekeeper might have immured himself after seeing “disturbances” on the “spirit horizon.” Rin also asks about what Chaghan said about Altan being “trained like a dog” at Sinegard. Altan says the masters “did their job.” Rin believes she should be bothered by Altan’s ruthlessness, but she isn’t.
Keep in mind that both Altan and Rin are effectively addicted to success and praise. The chances they’ll succeed here might be slim, but the draw of that slim chance is so tempting that they’re willing to take the risk. As Altan and Rin discuss Altan having been “trained like a dog” at Sinegard, note how warped Altan’s understanding of what happened to him is. Chaghan implied that the masters purposefully treated Altan like less than human, training him to be a weapon. Altan doesn’t see this as abuse , and this indicates how fully he’s bought into this system.
Themes
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Altan and Rin stop when it gets dark. Next to Altan by the fire, Rin suddenly feels “vindictive joy” that she has Altan, and Chaghan no longer does. She asks Altan about Chuluu Korikh and about Feylen. Altan explains, “They all go crazy, in the end”: Cike who don’t die in battle get immured. You can’t kill a possessed shaman, as they’re just “vessels of the divine.” So, you just try and keep them contained until you get to the mountain. He snaps that he doesn’t think this is okay, but this is how the Empire deals with the threat rogue shamans might pose. The only reason the Cike still exists, he suggests, is because they “can subdue” and “cull” themselves. Altan says he’s going to be different. He’s certain there’s a way to “tam[e] the gods” and talk sense into Feylen.
Rin is still motivated by her confusing feelings for Altan: she admires him like a commander, but she also loves him like a brother or a crush, and they share the distinction of being the last Speerlies. Being in his good graces now is its own reward for her loyalty. To immure someone is to lock them up against their will. Here, Altan confirms that the Chuluu Korikh exists expressly to hold shamans whose gods have taken them over. But Altan is also innately hopeful—or deluded and overconfident in his own power. From what readers have seen and Jiang has said, it seems unlikely he’ll be able to talk sense into gods. But Altan is obsessed with the idea anyway.
Themes
The following afternoon, Rin and Altan reach the Chuluu Korikh. They hike up the mountain, picking their way through the ice. Finally, Altan finds the door. Rin creates torches as Altan shoves on the rock. The door finally slides open to reveal a black tunnel. Rin nearly falls off the narrow path, and she realizes that the path spirals around the edge for miles. Rin notices an oil lamp and lights it, causing lamps to light all down the prison, illuminating a spiral path downward. The prison is arranged like the Pantheon, but in reverse. Next, Rin discovers huge cylinders and spins one. They’re records of the thousands of people and gods here, some who were immured before the Red Emperor’s reign. Altan acknowledges that no one could stop all these spirits, if they were to free them.
The Chuluu Korikh is foreboding and, given Rin and Altan’s reactions, it seems they sense that the place is far more spiritually important than they gave it credit for. This may reflect in part Nikan’s move away from the gods—Rin and Altan haven’t been raised to fully understand or accept the gods’ existence, let alone their true nature. So it’s a huge shock to suddenly sense the power locked up in the mountain, and Altan seems to suddenly doubt that controlling this much power is possible.
Themes
On the first record wheel, Rin reads the first entry: Jiang Ziya, the Gatekeeper. Rin runs down the path, looking for Jiang. She finds a plinth carved like a gatekeeper, and Altan slams his trident into it. Jiang is inside, meditating. She says they’re here to rescue him, but Jiang says it’s dangerous for Rin to be here. Altan, excited that the Gatekeeper is here and (he believes) is capable of commanding everyone in the mountain, is thrilled—but Jiang snaps that they must let Nikan fall. “This path leads only to more darkness.” He admits that it was a mistake to open the void, but he says that one must learn when to give up. Sternly, he says that releasing the gods in here will rip the universe apart. The Pantheon is balanced, but the gods would throw the the world out of balance if they were released from the Pantheon.
Finally, the novel confirms that Jiang isn’t fully human. He has powers beyond normal humans (and possibly beyond even most shamans) as the Gatekeeper, the shaman whom the gods gave the keys to the spiritual menagerie. Notably, this job was designed as a protective one—Jiang was meant to keep the mortal world safe from beings like the chimei—which helps explain his desire to protect Rin and Altan during their time at Sinegard. Now, Jiang resumes that role and insists that there’s no justification for letting the gods out. It’s better to accept defeat in the war and try to rebuild later.
Themes
Altan sounds unsure as he insists he can control them. Jiang takes Altan’s shoulder, and Altan says he wants to save Nikan. When Jiang notes that Altan wants to “raze Mugen,” Altan argues that that’s the same thing. Jiang insists that Mugen won’t be the only people and land to pay if Altan opens the Chuluu Korikh. “Chaos does not discriminate,” he warns. He insists that Altan doesn’t care about anything and is “broken.” Rin doesn’t understand what’s happening when Jiang asks if “Irjah knew,” but Altan looks terrified. Jiang continues that “Daji would have made sure Irjah knew how to keep you tame.” He apologizes for not trying harder to help Altan, but he says that Rin can still be saved. But Rin feels like Jiang has abandoned her. Altan has been cruel, but at least he’s trying to help her. Rin chooses Altan, so Jiang re-seals himself in his plinth.
This is where readers get the justification for why Altan is addicted to opium: that’s how he was “kept tame” in the lab and then at Sinegard, thanks to Su Daji, the Empress, whom Jiang characterizes as definitely not on Rin and Altan’s side. She’s willing to dehumanize and abuse her own people and soldiers to achieve her goal. Given her double-crossing during the current war, her actions point to her desire for power, not her desire to do what’s best for Nikan. Rin, however, can’t accept that one more of her idols is not who she thought they were. And so, she rejects Jiang’s advice and mentorship and reaffirms her commitment to Altan—he might not be doing the right thing, but he is at least doing something. Her logic is certainly flawed, but it tracks, given her loneliness and desire to fit in.
Themes
Altan is trembling, either from fear or anger. He asks Rin for her loyalty, and then he begins bashing the next plinth, Feylen’s. When Altan reveals Feylen’s face and Feylen wakes, his body is clearly dead and petrified. But his eyes glow bright blue. Referring to himself as “we,” Feylen says we remember Altan—and we remember Altan trapping them (Feylen) here. Feylen remembers that they’re the wind, and he laughs when Altan asks for help fighting a war. Feylen points out that Altan helped Tyr immure him here after promising to help. Stepping out of the tomb, Feylen says they’re divine now—so they don’t care about “mortals.” Then, Feylen says that Altan is overestimating his power, and the “world would be infinitely more interesting if someone smashed it up for a bit.”
“We” is possibly Feylen plus his god, or it may refer to just his god(s) and Feylen the person is just a vessel. Either way, this confusing pronoun usage underlines how far gone Feylen is and how inhuman he has become. His behavior also makes it abundantly clear that Jiang was right: Altan really has no hope of controlling the gods here. In this regard, Altan’s education has failed him. Altan is, perhaps, too focused on success at all costs to accept his limitations. And now, there’s a clear implication that this oversight is going to lead to devastating consequences for Nikan.
Themes
Rin realizes that Jiang and Chaghan were right: they can’t utilize gods like this, and they can’t let Feylen leave the mountain. Feylen, though, notices the open door above. Altan begs Feylen to let him help—and Feylen refers to himself as “me.” Altan puts down his trident, and he reaches his hand to Feylen. Feylen is suddenly himself, and he whispers that it’s awful here. He can’t die, and people shouldn’t share their minds with gods. Again, Rin realizes how right Jiang was. Altan, however, is unafraid, and he embraces Feylen, asking for help. But Feylen’s eyes glow, and he tells Altan to kill himself while he can. Then, he throws Altan over the edge and hurries for the door. Rin throws herself toward Altan and grabs his hand, slowly pulling him up onto the path. Feylen is gone.
For a moment, Feylen seems to once again become the man Altan remembers, a being Altan could feasibly help. This, perhaps, speaks to the close relationships the Cike form with one another—as outcasts and a small group, they only have one another to rely on, and Altan is nothing if not supportive. However, Feylen’s subsequent actions clearly show that Rin and Altan have once again underestimated the gods’ compassion and willingness to be controlled. Once again, the narrative shows that Jiang was right: calling gods is risky business at the best of times.
Themes
Rin and Altan try to follow Feylen, but Federation soldiers are outside the mountain to catch them. Rin fights without wondering how or why the Federation knew to come here. The Federation soldiers keep Rin and Altan just inside the mountain so they can’t call the Phoenix. Soon, the Federation soldiers overpower them, and Rin loses consciousness.
Given that the narrative clearly emphasizes Rin’s oversight—she doesn’t consider why the Federation might be here to capture her and Altan—this is something readers should pay attention to. While it may be tempting to give Rin a pass on this oversight given the stress she’s under, making this blunder nevertheless speaks to her youth and inexperience.
Themes
