[3.8] Discover the Hidden Secrets of Irminsul in Genshin Impact
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Ancient Philosophy and its Connection to Science
- Plato's Allegory of the Cave
- The Role of Bottleland in Project: Teyvat
- The Function of Streaming Projectors
- The Relationship Between Irminsul and the Streaming Projector
- The Akasha and its Connection to Irminsul
- The Collective Unconscious and its Influence on Teyvat
- The Theory of Forms and its Relevance to Genshin Impact
- The Primordial One and its Connection to Irminsul
- The Role of Forbidden Knowledge in Teyvat
- The Twins and their Relationship to Irminsul
- The Role of Khaenri'ah in the Twins' Quest for Freedom
- The Conclusion and Predictions for the Future
Introduction
Genshin Impact, the popular video game developed by HoYoverse, showcases a deep appreciation for ancient philosophy, particularly the works of Plato. In the 3.8 Bottleland event, Plato's allegory of the cave is explicitly used to contextualize the complex narrative of the Irminsul-memorywipe-timerewrite phenomenon. This article aims to explore the intricate connections between ancient philosophy, the concept of a collective unconscious, and the role of Irminsul in shaping the world of Teyvat.
Ancient Philosophy and its Connection to Science
Ancient philosophers were not only engaged in debates about morals and ethics, but they were also pioneers in the field of science. Long before the existence of modern scientists, philosophers attempted to explain and understand the world through rationalization and hypothesis. Their scientific endeavors, although often inaccurate by today's standards, laid the foundation for future scientific exploration.
Plato's Allegory of the Cave
Plato's allegory of the cave serves as a key metaphor in understanding the events of the 3.8 Bottleland event in Genshin Impact. The allegory describes a hypothetical group of prisoners who have been imprisoned in a cave since childhood. These prisoners are bound and chained, with their only knowledge of the outside world being the shadows cast on the cave's wall by puppeteers. When one prisoner breaks free and witnesses the true reality outside, they are initially overwhelmed and reject the truth. However, upon reentering the cave and trying to share their newfound knowledge, they are met with rejection and disbelief from the other prisoners. This allegory emphasizes the difficulty of accepting new truths and the power of perception.
The Role of Bottleland in Project: Teyvat
Bottleland, the setting of the 3.8 event, plays a crucial role in exploring the concepts of perception and reality in Genshin Impact. In Bottleland, everything starts as "preprints," which are shadows on the wall, and only takes shape after being illuminated by a Streaming Projector. The largest Streaming Projector, resembling a spinning wheel, resides at the center of Bottleland. Its functionality relies on various components gifted to Idyia, the protagonist, by visitors. These components, such as a gear, a rope, a candy box, and a lamp, manifest as seemingly random objects. In essence, Bottleland represents the transformation of shadows (preprints) into physical reality through the power of perception and projection.
The Function of Streaming Projectors
Streaming Projectors in Genshin Impact serve as instruments that shape and alter the reality of Teyvat. They utilize memories, wishes, and Elemental Energy to bring preprints into physical existence. By powering up the Streaming Projector with the Shinrou Casket's dream energy, Idyia can use the gifted objects to manipulate her realm's reality. This process mirrors the casting of shadows on the wall of Plato's allegorical cave, with the objects playing a similar role.
The Relationship Between Irminsul and the Streaming Projector
Irminsul, a central element in Genshin Impact's lore, exhibits similarities to the Streaming Projector. While the inner workings of Irminsul remain a mystery, it can be inferred that it functions similarly to a repository of memories and information, woven into the fabric of reality. Rukkhadevata, the avatar of Irminsul, created the Akasha, an entity that harvests the dreams of the Sumerian people to compile wisdom. The Akasha's use of dreams and memories, classified as thoughts, aligns with the Streaming Projector's utilization of memories and wishes to shape reality. This connection suggests that Irminsul and the Streaming Projector share the same underlying principle of thoughts becoming things.
The Akasha and its Connection to Irminsul
The Akasha, created by Rukkhadevata, plays a significant role in understanding the interplay of dreams, memories, and thoughts in Genshin Impact. It serves as a means of eliminating forbidden knowledge by extracting wisdom from the dreams of the Sumerian people. While dreams and memories may not seem inherently related, they can be considered different forms or manifestations of thoughts. This unification of dreams and memories under the umbrella of thoughts is crucial in unraveling the intricate workings of Teyvat's reality.
The Collective Unconscious and its Influence on Teyvat
Drawing inspiration from Carl Jung's concept of the collective unconscious, Genshin Impact incorporates the idea that human minds contribute to a greater collective. The collective unconscious encompasses shared fears, phobias, morals, and myths that transcend individual experiences. This collective unconscious influence is reflected in various aspects of Teyvat, such as the merging of minds in dreams, the hive-mind nature of certain entities like the Simurgh and Oceanids, and the thematic emphasis on dreams and consciousness.
The Theory of Forms and its Relevance to Genshin Impact
Plato's theory of forms provides a framework for understanding the connection between thoughts and physical manifestations in Genshin Impact. According to Plato, everything exists on two levels of reality: the physical and the intangible. The intangible level consists of idealized forms, while the physical level consists of imperfect copies of these forms. In Teyvat, Elemental Energy, memories, and thoughts play a crucial role in shaping the physical reality. The theory of forms suggests that thoughts become things, as they precede physical manifestations.
The Primordial One and its Connection to Irminsul
The Primordial One, a central entity in Teyvat, bears similarities to the Streaming Projector and Irminsul. It possesses authority and power over everything in Teyvat, functioning as a synthetic, conceptual world woven into the remnants of the old world. The Primordial One, along with its four Shades, governs the fundamental concepts of life, death, time, space, and the overarching concept of logos. The Primordial One's connection to Irminsul suggests that it holds immense power and control over the Teyvatian reality.
The Role of Forbidden Knowledge in Teyvat
Forbidden knowledge, likened to a poison, plays a significant role in shaping the events of Teyvat. While humans are inherently incompatible with it, dragons exhibit some level of resistance and compatibility due to their existence predating humans. The existence of forbidden knowledge and its connection to the Abyss raises questions about the Primordial One's motivation for rebuilding Teyvat for humans, as well as the origins of the twin protagonists.
The Twins and their Relationship to Irminsul
The twins, central characters in Genshin Impact, possess a unique connection to Irminsul and the overarching narrative. While Nahida asserts that only one of the twins belongs to Teyvat, evidence suggests that both twins are Descenders and have a role in Teyvat's fate. The sibling, realizing their innate incompatibility with Abyssal power, seeks to change their physical form to adapt. This transformation involves becoming a part of Teyvat's world, existing as a concept within Irminsul, and seizing Abyssal authority. Khaenri'ah likely plays a significant role in this transformation, serving as the catalyst for their quest for freedom and knowledge beyond the confines of Teyvat.
The Role of Khaenri'ah in the Twins' Quest for Freedom
Khaenri'ah, a mysterious and technologically advanced civilization, serves as a crucial factor in the twins' pursuit of freedom and understanding. The people of Khaenri'ah, akin to those who looked outside the allegorical cave, discovered advanced technology and studied it to enhance their own. This discovery and pursuit of knowledge align with the themes of perception, reality, and the desire for freedom. The twins, resembling Lucifer as light-bringers, serve as a beacon of knowledge and liberation for Khaenri'ah and the subjugated population of Teyvat.
The Conclusion and Predictions for the Future
In conclusion, Genshin Impact intertwines ancient philosophy, the concept of the collective unconscious, and the theory of forms to construct a narrative centered around the transformative power of thoughts and perception. Irminsul, the Primordial One, and the role of forbidden knowledge shape the world of Teyvat, while the twins emerge as key players in the struggle for freedom and the rejection of a protective cradle. The formative events of Teyvat's past and the twins' quest for knowledge and liberation set the stage for future conflicts, potentially involving dragons and the consequences of ascending to the throne of the Primordial One.
