Seanchan - Cultural References

Cultural References

It has been argued that Seanchan's culture and people show many correspondences to the culture and people of Asia—especially China—as well as the Ottoman Empire. However, reason exists to complicate the idea that Seanchan are Asians masquerading as something else. It is true that Seanchan nobility adopt the shaven heads and long fingernails of traditional Qing mandarins and display a fascination with the Seanchan drink "Kaf", a beverage obviously modelled upon coffee. But they also clearly contain elements of other cultural histories.

For one thing, the Seanchan's most famous symbol (the box-shaped ship) was a well-noted Chinese description of Western European ships during the seventeenth century. In terms of geography, the Seanchan continent (two large masses linked by a thin tail in the middle) speaks more of the Americas than Asia. The Seanchan military forces are called the Ever Victorious Army, which was an appellation for the British and Chinese armed forces of Chinese Gordon. The vast system of slaves, especially their use as dancers and acrobats for entertainment, their transparent clothing or nakedness, their being chosen for their physical attributes and appeal, their use as attendants to the nobility, their use almost as decorative furniture, etc., resembles that of Ancient Egypt, perhaps with a seasoning of references the America's own dubious history with chattel slavery. Finally, Jordan himself mentioned that the Seanchan's slurring method of speech was supposed to sound like a "Texas drawl".

All of this points to the idea that Jordan presents the Seanchan as a more pan-cultural projection of an exterior lurking threat of incredible power, exotic characteristics, and clearly imperial ambitions.