“Tae Mong” – conception dreams
Tae Mong in Korean means a dream about conception (Pritham & Sammons, 1993). “Tae” means pregnancy and “Mong” means a dream. Usually, the mother has Tae Mong dreams but these can also be experienced by her husband and other close relatives.
Conception dreams indicate the gender of the child, their outward appearance and/or the future of the baby (Kim, 2014). If the baby is a girl, the dream could be about small colourful snakes, jewellery, rings and stone-free fruit. If the baby is a boy, the dream could be about larger animals and flowers; as well as stone fruit. Once a woman has had Tae Mong she follows the Tae Gyo rituals for pregnancy and safe childbirth (Pritham & Sammons, 1993).
“Tae Gyo” rituals for pregnancy and safe childbirth
The experience of Tae Mong and Tae Gyo persist as practices for families who have migrated to western countries (Pritham & Sammons, 1993). “Tae” means pregnancy and Gyo means education (Kim, 2015). Tae Gyo refers to the multidimensional aspects of prenatal care for pregnant women. These include: being careful about what women consume, maintaining peace of mind, and receiving support from family members and communities. It is the responsibility not only of pregnant mothers but also families and communities to take care of the unborn child (Kim, 2015). Tae Gyo rituals are practiced for the safe growth of the fetus and for easy childbirth. The practice of Tae Gyo protects the baby from disease and disability and the family from misfortune (Pritham & Sammons, 1993). The rituals are based on the belief that the baby eats, feels, thinks and sees what the mother eats, feels, thinks and sees (Kim, 2014). It is believed that breaking the rules of Tae Gyo may cause disability or the death of the fetus. A miscarriage is often blamed on the mother’s conduct and can bring shame on the person and family (Kim, 2014).
The Tae Gyo rituals mark a change in the couple’s relationship signalling that others need to take care of the woman, such as tending to food cravings; there is a reduced expectation that she will do all the housework.
During pregnancy, Tae Gyo rituals include: only having beautiful, positive things around the mother so that she will have a beautiful healthy baby. This includes (Kim, 2014):
- Listening to soothing music and reading good literature.
- Praying.
- Not thinking or speaking negative thoughts about anyone (because the child would also carry those negative thoughts).
- Not eating certain foods because they make childbirth harder – such as eggs, crabs, squid and peaches.
- A belief that duck and chicken, if eaten in excess, can cause chicken skin or a duck-like walk.
- A belief that blemishes, cracks and malformations on the food would appear on the baby.
- Avoiding touching urine, faeces, dead things or the killing of animals.
There is a preference for male children to carry on the family lineage. Tae Mong dreams are used to predict gender. A woman’s belly shape is also used to indicate the gender of the fetus – if a woman’s abdomen sticks out roundly, a girl is expected and if her stomach is flat, she is carrying a boy (Kim, 2014). Pregnant women often wear loose clothing because they want to keep the baby comfortable. During the last few months of pregnancy a special girdle-like belt (bokdae), worn under clothes, is wrapped around a woman’s belly in order to support the weight of the baby.