『夢占逸旨』에 드러난 壽命 인식

Abstract

In ancient China, the fatalistic belief that each individual is given life by heaven and that the period of their life is determined from their birth was commonly accepted among people. This study explored the “Book of Life Span” in Meng zhan yi zhi (夢占逸旨), a collection of ancient Chinese dream records that contains stories about predictions made based on the interpretation of dreams. Particularly, this study analyzed the narratives showing the perception that one’s life span granted by heaven and determined from birth can be changed due to various factors in the person’s life despite the fatalistic notion of life span. For the analysis of major narratives, this study focused on the narratives about the exchange of life span, extension of one’s life span due to a great amount of unostentatious virtue, and Shengsibu, a book believed to contain the records of all the good and evil deeds in one’s life, according to which the person would be judged after death, as well as Siming, an ancient Chinese deity considered as the controller of human life. What these narratives have in common is that they reflect ethical values ​​such as national great causes, extraordinary filial love, and great devotion, along with the ancient Chinese view ​​that good deeds can indeed change the predetermined life span. As human desire for immortality and the fear of death that could come at any time were associated with the ethical values ​​required in human life, the recognition that good and non-good deeds would affect the extension or reduction of life span was created. It can be considered that this viewpoint acted as moral law in China during ancient times and served as a guide for the practice of good in life.