A Reconstruction of Arguments on the Relationship Between Dreaming and Awakening in the Interpretations of Zhuangzi

Abstract

In the interpretations of Zhuangzi, there are four levels to the relationship between dreaming and awakening: awakening is more realistic than dreaming, dreaming is more realistic than awakening, dreaming and awakening are equal, and there is no distinction between dreaming and awakening. From the view of the Chongxuan (重玄) School, 1. insisting that awakening is more realistic and cherishing life is attached to substantiality as a psychological intention to seek out a specific object; 2. insisting that dreaming is more realistic is attached to nihility as a cynical intention of desirelessness; 3. non-attachment to the distinction between dreaming and awakening as a false objectification of the mid-way (madhyamā-pratipad) is a first-order non-attachment and a new kind of self-deception to form a hidden meta-desire to transcend the two kinds of desires above; and 4. Chongxuan, as a second-order non-attachment of non-attachment, allows people to forget the distinction between dreaming and awakening. This topic has also been reflected upon or reinterpreted by ancient and modern philosophers and has a continuous impact on social reform in modern China.