Deciphering Dream Omens within the Chinese Tradition: Cases of Cezi in Late Imperial Xiaoshuo and Biji Literature

Résumé En

This paper provides an introduction to a technique of dream interpretation that is specific to premodern Chinese culture: cezi 測字 (›fathoming characters‹). With reference to examples from xiaoshuo 小說 (›minor talks‹) and biji 筆記 (›pen jottings‹) literature, the cezi technique is here described in terms of its main mechanisms: translation from visual elements of a dream into Chinese characters, and dissecting or assembling graphic components and strokes. This observation of anecdotes about cezi interpretation reveals that several accounts describe dreams that were messages from the other world, the deciphering of which enabled the dreamers to restore order in the world of the living. Examples of cezi interpretation in the context of judicial cases thus feature cases of dreams whose unravelling could lead to the arrest of the guilty party. This paper also provides an example of a failed cezi decoding of a dream, which raises questions about the authenticity of dreams and the relevance of making sense of them when dreams may, in fact, sometimes be meaningless.