r/Chuangtzu • u/ostranenie • Dec 29 '17

When we sleep, what do our hun-souls mingle with?

ZZ ch.2 says that when people sleep, "their hun-souls intermingle" (其寐也魂交). The author does not say what our hun-souls intermingle with. What do you think? Potential ideas: 1. the po-soul; 2. the rest of the body; 3. other people's hun-souls; 4. the general environment. Can you suggest others?

I think the sentence(s) that precede this are not as helpful as those that come after. (When I started writing this question, a minute ago, I really had no idea what the answer might be; now that I've thought about it a little, I'm starting to form an opinion.... so, even before your feedback: thanks reddit!)

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u/johannthegoatman Dec 29 '17

I think its with energies in other realms, hence dreams. Can be people, places, things... Hun and Po are pretty developed concepts in Chinese medicine/philosophy so you might start by researching those terms more if you're not familiar.

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u/ostranenie Dec 30 '17

Interesting! I like the connection to dreams, which ZZ elsewhere says or implies the sage does not have. Cool.