What is Dream Culture

In ancient times, dreams were often regarded as manifestations of the human soul because everyone dreams, and dreams, like the soul, accompany a person throughout their life, from birth to death. As long as the cognitive ability of the human brain remains, dreams persist. Regardless of social status, gender, or age, everyone dreams; only the content of dreams varies.

Dreams are considered magical because of their dual nature—both real and false, familiar yet mysterious, ethereal yet visibly real. Dreams may be perceived as illusions, yet the characters and events within them are vividly remembered upon waking. Conversely, dreams can be seen as genuine representations, although it is difficult to find exact matches between dream figures and events in reality. The allegory of "Zhuangzi's Butterfly Dream" raises questions about this phenomenon.

We often say that thoughts arise during the day and dreams come at night. Sometimes the people and events in dreams are those encountered during the day, and occasionally they serve as omens of future events. Dreams are so mysterious that they have fascinated people throughout history. Our ancestors began recording and analyzing dreams early on, giving rise to dream culture.

Dream culture is an integral part of ancient Eastern cultures. Although it may not appear sophisticated on the surface, its influence is extensive, particularly in folk traditions. "Zhou Gong's Dream Interpretation" is a popular dream interpretation book that has been passed down among the people.