Jin Zizai's Face Reading: Exploring Cognitive Biases in Physiognomy (Part 3)
Seven Signs of Misfortune Linked to a Prominent Jaw
Mention a prominent jaw and anyone who has read Romance of the Three Kingdoms will think of Wei Yan. Setting aside whether his rebellion against Shu was justified, rising to the rank of general in that era was impressive; his ultimate success or failure is another matter.
In physiognomy, a pronounced jaw is considered noble—the larger, the better—as it signifies the ability to endure hardship. However, it should not be a reverse jaw shaped like the character "风" (wind). A prominent, well-fleshed jaw is even more favorable.
For men, a weak jaw makes it hard to achieve success. Thus, the notion that a prominent jaw is a bad sign is mainly applied to women. In traditional female physiognomy, there is a saying about the jaw: "Peach-blossom eyes do not belong to good women; a face with prominent jawbones on both sides is the worst." The Shuowen explains "good" as virtuous and "bad" as unvirtuous. In other words, if a woman has peach-blossom eyes, she is already considered not a good woman, and if she also has a prominent jaw, she is deemed the worst of the worst. Peach-blossom eyes are easy to understand: such women are sociable, readily connect with unfamiliar men, and prefer socializing over household chores. They are easily tempted and indecisive.
The idea of a prominent jaw is less straightforward. Women with pronounced jaws tend to guard their privacy and often display sustained, cold aggressiveness. They also have a strong desire for control and may use unscrupulous means to reach their goals, even harming husbands or rivals, and will not stop until they succeed. A historically notable woman with a prominent jaw is Jiang Qing. Furthermore, when a prominent jaw is paired with other unfavorable traits, it can easily foster a poor character. For example, peach-blossom or large eyes combined with a prominent jaw may lead to troublemaking; a small, thin mouth with a prominent jaw can result in harshness and ingratitude; and a crooked nose with a prominent jaw can indicate a malicious disposition.
Eight Signs That a Large Forehead Brings Misfortune in Marriage
This raises a question: Does a large forehead bring misfortune in marriage, while a small forehead brings good fortune? The answer is no; a small forehead suggests being dominated by one’s husband. As I’ve mentioned in basic physiognomy, for women you can assess overall fortune by looking at four features: the forehead, nose, eyes, and mouth.
The forehead represents family background, intellect, and key abilities. A broad forehead is actually favorable; women with large foreheads can support a family. So why say a large forehead leads to marital misfortune? Because women with large foreheads tend to be combative—in modern terms, they have many ideas, hate to lose, and are willing to take risks.
Consider ancient society, where women could not work; only those with large foreheads could truly excel. If such a woman married a weak man in an arranged match, she would likely criticize and nitpick her husband. If her in-laws favored him, she would probably rebel against them. The result could be a mother-in-law who dies of anger, branding the woman unfilial, or even driving her husband to his death, earning her a reputation for bringing misfortune.
Nowadays, many women in public relations or other outward-facing roles have broad foreheads and pointed chins and are capable of handling major responsibilities at work. Yet many remain unmarried as they approach thirty and ask me whether their wide foreheads are the reason for their lack of romantic prospects. Not so—it’s because their expectations are too high. The men they want are often already married, while those who pursue them don’t meet their standards, so late marriage is likely. Such women, as long as their eyebrows are well shaped, generally marry around thirty-two; if their brows are faint or barely visible, they may have to wait until around thirty-six.
Nine Signs That a Garlic Nose Predicts Unhappiness in Marriage
It is said that those with garlic noses have unhappy marriages. What is a garlic nose? A true garlic nose has a sunken bridge and a tip clearly divided into three parts. If the bridge is raised, even if the tip is divided into three parts, it isn’t considered a garlic nose. Generally speaking, people with true garlic noses have gentle temperaments, avoid arguments, and are diligent and hardworking. They tend to be good employees and pleasant in daily life. However, their marriages are often unsatisfactory.
If someone has a garlic nose but meets other favorable criteria, she has a typical fortune-bringing fate. Her husband may not have a successful career and may struggle, but he is dutiful and accommodating. The couple’s relationship is generally good, and their children will be virtuous and filial. However, if a garlic nose comes with prominent cheekbones, a pointed chin, and lifeless eyes, she is likely to encounter unsuitable partners, be easily deceived by sweet talk, and risk betrayal. She may work hard for her family yet not be treated well. Both types can bring fortune to others, but the latter does so with much greater hardship. Therefore, my advice to women with garlic noses is to choose a man who truly loves and cherishes you—never chase the man you love.