Dreams Caused by Desire in Xiaoshuo and Biji of the High Qing
Résumé
This article explores narratives of “inward” dreams, in which content is shaped by the sleeper’s thoughts and desires, in biji and xiaoshuo literature of the high Qing (c. 1683c.1796). Three perspectives are highlighted: narratives that emphasize the psychological depth of oneiric contents, narratives that underline the debates and investigating spirit that could surround a dream anecdote, and narratives that offer an ironic view of dreams of personal longings. On a higher level, all these ways to deal with dreams seem to be akin to a larger debate that characterized the high Qing: that about the existence of spirits and fate versus agency and free will.