Dreaming of Incest

If incest is dreamed of without direct physical behavior, it generally symbolizes a desire for closer intimacy with family members. Modern psychology explains the meaning of dreaming about incest. Dreaming of incest with deities signifies the dreamer's subconscious desire to maintain purity and divinity. Dreaming of incest with siblings indicates the dreamer's longing to improve their family relationships.

Dreaming of incest with parents or elders suggests the dreamer's deep respect and filial piety towards them. Incestuous dreams represent a desire to maintain personal purity. However, such dreams do not necessarily indicate a desire for incestuous acts. They often reflect tension in opposite-sex relationships, difficulties in interpersonal or romantic relationships, and a subconscious longing for comfort and support from family members.

Historically, incest has been strictly prohibited, so in dreams, it rarely involves physical acts. Instead, it typically signifies a desire to strengthen family bonds. Sexuality is generally associated with self-identity, and incestuous dreams carry the same connotation. They represent a desire to express a certain aspect of one's humanity in a different form, which can only manifest in the realm of dreams.

In mythical legends, incest among gods and deities is believed to maintain their divine purity.

Dream Analysis:

Dreamer's dream: Dreaming of engaging in incestuous acts with one's mother, what does it mean?

Interpretation: It merely indicates sexual impulses and a close relationship with the mother, which seems stronger than with the father. The dream is a new perception formed through fragmented physiological and psychological experiences, reflecting a longing for paternal love. It is not a matter of concern. It would be beneficial to establish a balanced relationship with both parents to fulfill their love.

Historical Stories of Incest:

In ancient Eastern cultures, incest does not solely refer to sexual relations between close relatives. It also includes acts such as killing one's father or marriage between a master and disciple.

The confusion between incest and consanguineous sexual relations in modern times is due to the gradual blurring of the traditional ethical principles after Westernization. However, if we strictly adhere to the standards set by ancient scholars, even the prohibition of consanguineous marriage among modern ethnic Han Chinese would be considered incestuous. For example, if a person's younger brother marries the younger sister of their spouse. The Five Relationships include the sequence of husband and wife, followed by father and son, brothers, ruler and subject, and finally, teacher and student.

Furthermore, after the introduction of Buddhism into the East and before the development of Neo-Confucianism in the Song Dynasty, Han Chinese society, which was primarily patrilineal, did not encourage but also did not prohibit consanguineous sexual relations. This can be found in various historical records. (Buddhism opposes sexual relations outside of marriage, while Neo-Confucianism broadened the definition of incest.)

Prohibited Cases: Deeply influenced by Confucian culture, ancient Eastern cultures had strong ethical values. In ancient East Asian cultures, due to the principle of avoiding marriage between people of the same surname, individuals with the same surname, regardless of blood relationship, were not allowed to marry. However, there was no prohibition on marriage between individuals with a maternal blood relationship.

Permitted Cases: Marriages between cousins, nephews, and nieces were allowed and even encouraged, as it was seen as "bringing kinship closer." Emperor Wu of Han, Liu Che, and his first empress Chen were cousins. The famous Song Dynasty poet Lu You and his first wife Tang Wan were also cousins. Shen Fu, a writer from the Qing Dynasty, and his wife Yun Niang were also cousins. The term "uncle" and "aunt" that ancient women used to refer to their husband's parents originated from cousin marriages.

During the legendary and pre-Qin periods in East Asia, except for direct blood relatives such as parents and siblings, whether other consanguineous sexual relations were considered immoral depended on societal norms, especially for members of the royal family. However, at that time, moral principles were separate from societal customs, similar to what is referred to today as "customary practices."