Lofty Principles of Dream-Interpretation

(C^en S^i-yuan : Encyclopaedia of Dreams) [I.10]

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pp. 91-99 – I.10. "Influences and Abnormal Conditions".

p. 91 the 9 kinds of dreams resultant from abnormal conditions

1st

"over-abundance of qi-energy"

2nd

"deficiency of qi-energy"

3rd

"lodging of evil energy

4th

"physical obstructions"

5th

"overflow of emotions"

6th

"direct correspondence"

7th

"symbolic correspondence"

8th

"extreme opposite"

9th

daimones

p. 91 the 15 kinds of dreams caused by over-abundance of qi-energy

category

specific

resultant dream

o-a. of __ (yin-yan)-energy

yin

"crossing a great river in fear"

yan

"being burned in a great river"

yin & yan

"killing each other" [p. 94, n. 10:2 "sparing life" according to Master Lie]

o-a. in __ part of body

upper

"flying"

lower

"falling"

nourishment

famished

"obtaining food"

satiated

"providing food for others"

o-a. in internal

liver

"being angry"

lungs

"being afraid", "weeping"

heart

"feeling happy and laughing"

spleen

"singing and music", "feeling to heavy to move"

kidneys

"one’s waist and spine have separated from each other"

__ "parasites"

short

"crowd gathering"

long

"people attacking a destroying each other"

pp. 94-95, n. 2 varieties of dreams omitted from various books

p.

source

omission : dreams caused by __

94

Yellow Emperor’s Book of the Spiritual Pivot

parasites

 

Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon of Medicine

heart, spleen, kidneys

94-5

Master Lie

all others than yin-yan energies & foods

p. 92 the 10 kinds of dreams caused by deficiency of qi-energy in internal organs

dream during time not correlated with organ

internal organ

dream during time correlated with organ

"someone being decapitated whose blood spatters about."

lungs

"armies fighting."

"sinking in a boat and drowning."

kidneys

"hiding underwater"

"fragrance of mushrooms or of grass and plants growing."

liver

"hiding under a tree"

"rescue from a fire", "thunder and lightning."

heart

"a raging fire"

"not having enough to eat and drink."

spleen

"building a wall or roof."

p. 92 the 15 dreams caused by syncopic energy lodging in parts of the body

lodging in _

resultant dream

heart

"hills and mountains", "smoke and fire."

lungs

"fluttering about and seeing unusual objects made of gold and silver."

liver

"mountain forests and trees."

spleen

"hills and great marshes", "damaged homes, wind, and rain."

kidneys

"approaching a deep chasm", "sinking underwater and remaining there."

bladder

"traveling."

stomach

"eating and drinking."

large intestine

"fields and countryside."

small intestine

"a cluster of towns and thoroughfares."

gall-bladder

"conflict and litigation", "boasting."

vagina

"receiving someone in the inner apartments."

neck

"decapitation."

shin

"walking and yet being unable to go forward", "dwelling in a deep pit or storage cellar."

buttocks

"performing courteous bows and greetings."

placenta

"urinating and defecating."

p. 95, n. 4. dreams caused by mental illness (according to Master Lie)

those suffering from __

will dream of __

dizziness

"rising upward"

depression

"sinking"

p. 93 influence of physical obstructions (to one’s sleeping body in the waking world) on dreams

obstruction

resultant dream

"something is lodged in the mouth"

"struggling to speak yet remaining dumb."

"feet are restrained"

"struggling to walk while lame."

"head hits the pillow"

"ascending to great heights and then falling."

"on ropes like those used to bind a prisoner"

"poisonous snakes."

"on brightly colored clothes"

"tigers and leopards."

"one’s hair is tangled up with the twigs of a tree"

"hanging upside down."

p. 95, n. 5 "If one sleeps on top of one’s belt, one will dream of a snake.

If a flying bird snatches strands of one’s hair, one will dream of flying. (From the Master Lie.)"

p. 93 dreams caused by overflow of emotions

if excessively __

then one dreameth of __

happy

"things opening up"

angry

"things closing"

fearful

"hiding"

anxious

"blame"

sad

"rescue"

resentful

"scolding someone"

frightened

"insanity"

p. 93 dreams caused by direct correspondence (with a later event [occurring when awake])

one dreameth of __

and then later one actually __

"the ruler"

"sees him."

"a certain person"

"sees him."

"a deer"

"caught one."

"obtaining grain"

"obtained it."

"an assassin"

"apprehended one."

"autumn-driving technique" [for charioteer (p. 96, n. 10)]

"was taught it."

p. 95, n. 6 "one dreams of a certain person and the next day actually sees him." (Wan C^on : Judicious Discussions)

wife’s admonition concerning the dream-deer

p. 95, n. 7 in state of Z^en, wife instructeth her husband as to his ownership of the dream of the deer slain by woodcutter (according to Master Lie)

{[Yukaghir] elk is led to hunter by goddess visited in dreams (SH, p. 155) : the goddess is (SH, pp. 142-3) "a lustful young woman whom hunters must persuade to provide them with prey animals by seducing her in their dreams."}

SH = Rane Willerslev : Soul Hunters. U of CA Pr, Berkeley, 2007.

p. 93 dreams caused by symbolic correspondence (with activities one is about to perform [-- when awake])

when one is about to __

then one dreameth of __

"take up an official post [guan]"

"a coffin [guan]" [because "an official position is basically corrupting" (p. 96, n. 10:11)]

"obtain money"

"filth." ["manure" (p. 96, n. 10:11)]

"become prominent"

"ascending heights"

experience "rain [yu]"

"a fish [yu]."

"eat"

calling a hound.

"suffer bereavement"

"wearing white."

"receive imperial favor"

"wearing an embroidered robe."

have one’s "strategies fail"

"thorny bush and mud."

pp. 93-94 dreams caused by extreme opposite (from activities [-- when awake])

p.

when one is __

then one dreameth of __

93

to "a banquet celebrating the marriage of a relative"

"sobbing."

 

"in arguments or litigation"

"singing and dancing."

 

"cold"

"warmth."

93-4

"famished"

"eating one’s fill."

94

"ill"

"a doctor."

 

"mourning for one’s parents"

"wearing red clothes."

 

"celebrating a happy occasion"

"wearing sackcloth and mourning clothes."

pp. 94, 96-7 dreams caused by daimonic praesences

p.

circumstance

dreaming

96, n. 10:15

Bo-you was minister in Z^en for 3 generations

[after his death,] he became a daimon

96, n. 10:16

[even] era of peace, although other things do not become daimones

ghosts of persons with grievances become daimones

97, n. 10:17

nobles who are undergoing imprisonment or banishment

themselves experience dreams caused by daimones

p. 97, n. 10:18 the 10 kinds of dreams, according to the chapter entitled "A Classification of Dreams" in Discussions of a Gentleman in Hiding by Wan Fu (Chr.E. c. 90-165)

category of dreams

instance of dream

instance’s effect in waking world

"direct correspondence"

after a command in her dream to a praegnant mother that she give her son a certain name,

that son may be born with such name as markings in the palm of his hand

"symbolic"

black bears & brown bears [in dreams by praegnant mothers]

sons are born

"caused by a fixation"

dream about a duke by Gon-fu-zi

was because the dreamer thought about the duke while awake

"imaginative"

dream about an unfavorable prospective event

because it is dreaded by the dreamer

"based on status"

a dream by a high-ranking person

is likely to result in honor

a dream by a lowly person

is likely to result in disgrace

"in response to stimuli" [weather]

weary and confused

overcast and rainy

in turmoil

hot drought

plaintive and depressed

severe cold

of being blown about

strong winds are blowing

"seasonal"

birth and growth

spring

thing most glorious

summer

harvesting

autumn

storing away

winter

"contrary"

dream of being defeated

actual victory by dreamer

"caused by illness"

dream of cold

yin illness

dream of heat

yan illness

dream of chaos

internal factors’ illness

dream of expansion

external factors’ illness

"based on the dreamer’s nature"

a dream may be deemed favorable or unfavorable by the dreamer due to personal praedilections

in such cases the dream may often be interpreted along the dreamer’s own aestimation

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Richard E. Strassberg (transl.) : Wandering Spirits : Chen Shiyuan’s Encyclopedia of Dreams. U of CA Pr, Berkeley, 2008.