The detached soul motif in Chinese literature has long been considered as derived from Indian dream-soul belief. This article reveals, however, the same son of dream soul belief can be found in pre-Buddhist Chinese texts, and a variation within the detached soul motif originated directly from the indigenous theory of separation of the hum soul and po soul. Furthermore, the visible and transformable detached soul image was nurtured in an atmosphere inspired by the conflict between Buddhist and anti-Buddhist forces in early medieval China, and its shape was likely derived from po soul in Chinese religion. Thus there are much more reasons to believe that the detached soul motif was an indigenous creation.