Original Text
Jinshi Chang Dazhong, a native of Taiyuan, was waiting in the capital for an official appointment. The night before his appointment, he dreamed that the Zitong Emperor came to visit him. The next day, when he received his appointment order, it was indeed for the post of magistrate of Zitong County, which he found very strange. Later, when he observed mourning for his father, he resigned and returned home. After completing the mourning period, he was again waiting in the capital for an appointment, and once more dreamed of the Zitong Emperor visiting him. He secretly wondered, could it be that he would again be appointed magistrate of Zitong County? Soon the appointment came down, and indeed he was once again made magistrate of Zitong County.
Commentary
This chapter and "The Star of Literature" in Volume Six can be said to mirror each other, as both feature auspicious signs from folk customs appearing in dreams—one proving efficacious, the other not—yet both reflect the psychology of scholars in the imperial examination era, where even their dreams were illusions.