Jin Zizai on Physiognomy: The Five Elements and Facial Features (Part 2)

Qi Qiu, a physiognomist of the Southern Tang, and his disciples studied and inferred a system that groups the Five Elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—into seven formats based on distinctive physical traits: nobility, wealth, longevity, lowliness, poverty, early death, and punishment, for the benefit of later generations. Their outline is presented below.

Metal-Element People

Basic reading method—effective at a glance:

1. Noble Appearance: High, well-defined eyebrows; a broad House-and-Land Palace; a soft, rounded voice.

2. Wealthy Appearance: A broad, square mouth; thick, reddish lips; fleshy mounds at the corners of the mouth.

3. Longevity Appearance: Prominent ears with firm cartilage, large and light in color; a fresh, lively spirit.

4. Lowly Appearance: Murky, untidy eyebrows that sit low and press on the eyes; a weak gaze.

5. Poor Appearance: A very small mouth; lips dull red or pale; thick, oversized joints.

6. Premature Death Appearance: Protruding ears; a dull, overly plump face; tight skin.

7. Punishment Appearance: Poor lip shape; lips that do not cover the teeth; a large, protruding Adam’s apple.

Question: Do all people fall under the Five Element types—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth?

Answer: Not necessarily. There are many other forms, such as lion, tiger, rhinoceros, horse, turtle, snake, and so on.

Wood-Element People

Basic reading method—effective at a glance:

1. Noble Appearance: Long, slender eyes; a restrained yet authoritative spirit; a loud voice.

2. Wealthy Appearance: A slightly raised chin that echoes the forehead; a rosy complexion.

3. Longevity Appearance: Very thick lips; large bones; a substantial complexion.

4. Lowly Appearance: Lifeless eyes; often anxious and easily startled.

5. Poor Appearance: A bony chin with exposed jawbone; a thin frame.

6. Premature Death Appearance: A small mouth; lips dull red or bluish-black and pinched in shape; loose skin.

7. Punishment Appearance: Thick, murky, coarse eyebrows; an unkempt beard.

Question: How can you tell whether someone is wealthy or noble?

Answer: For lesser wealth, look to the nose; for high status, look to the eyes. If both the eyes and nose are favorable, other features aside, one can expect a smooth, worry-free middle age.

Water-Element People

Basic reading method—effective at a glance:

1. Noble Appearance: Round, light-colored ears; a voice that is sustained and pleasant.

2. Wealthy Appearance: A full, broad chin; a yellowish, lustrous nose tip.

3. Longevity Appearance: Slender eyes; a calm, steady demeanor.

4. Lowly Appearance: Darkened ears; a cold, tipsy-looking gaze; unsteady movements.

5. Poor Appearance: Sunken cheeks; a bony, fleshless chin; large, heavy joints.

6. Premature Death Appearance: A dull gaze; slow reactions; tight skin.

7. Punishment Appearance: A small, pointed tip; a crooked or knotted bridge; a low, flat root.

Question: Does an upturned nose—i.e., large, exposed nostrils—mean poor financial luck throughout life?

Answer: The face’s Wealth Palace spans several areas and isn’t judged by the nose alone. However, people with large, exposed nostrils tend to have little surplus money over a lifetime. As the old saying goes: even if one holds office in middle age, there’s only salary, with no money left over.

Fire-Element People

Basic reading method—effective at a glance:

1. Noble Appearance: Reddish, moist lips; a voice that comes from the dantian, full but not sharp.

2. Wealthy Appearance: A thick back; a slightly hoarse voice; a rosy complexion.

3. Longevity Appearance: A large nose; speaks and acts with composure and restraint.

4. Lowly Appearance: Pale lips; a vague expression.

5. Poor Appearance: A bony, sharp, thin back; large, coarse bones.

6. Premature Death Appearance: An upturned tip exposing the nostrils; an overweight, dull-looking body.

7. Punishment Appearance: Thin, light ears; fist-like flesh at the back of the neck.

Question: Which facial features, if adjusted, can improve one’s fortune?

Answer: Shallow nasolabial folds can be enhanced to increase authority; an overly sharp chin can be softened to improve later-life fortune; eyebrows should be shaped wider with expressive arches, and so on. For reference, see "Iron Gate Knife."

Earth-Element People

Basic reading method—effective at a glance:

1. Noble Appearance: A rounded nose tip; a clear voice.

2. Wealthy Appearance: A full lower face; a bright, slightly yellow complexion.

3. Longevity Appearance: Long eyebrows extending past the eyes; a calm demeanor, neither overly warm nor cold.

4. Lowly Appearance: A small, pointed nose tip; lifeless eyes.

5. Poor Appearance: Overweight in youth; a dull, overly plump build.

6. Premature Death Appearance: Coarse, murky eyebrows; a face with horizontal bands of flesh.

7. Punishment Appearance: Cross-eyed, with many red veins in the whites of the eyes.

Question: What types of people tend to have an impatient personality?

Answer: Those with prominent brow ridges; upright, coarse, or very thick eyebrows; protruding cheekbones; upturned eye corners; round eyes; yellowish pupils; and wide nostrils, etc. Among these, the gaze is the most important: if the gaze is restrained, even thick eyebrows and prominent cheekbones will not make one impatient.

Physiognomy requires practical observation methods to be effective.

After studying a substantial amount of basic physiognomy, practical application requires a methodical, step-by-step approach. Otherwise, it will be difficult to judge the relative importance of features, leading to inefficiency and confusion.

1. Observe bone and flesh: if the flesh is murky, it stagnates; if the bones are heavy, life is laborious.

2. Observe the Three Stops: the Three Stops of the face and the Three Stops of the body.

3. Observe the features: the Five Mountains, Six Palaces, and Twelve Palaces.

4. Observe the body shape: round waist, thick back, flat chest, and drooping abdomen.

5. Observe the voice: round and strong, slightly hoarse, or light and scattered.

6. Observe the heart: a righteous heart shows in clear eyes, while an ill-intentioned heart shows in murky eyes.

Question: What should be noted during the interpretation process?

Answer: 1. Do not fixate on one feature or detail; 2. Do not speak rashly about fortune or misfortune—give people confidence to live more positively; 3. Speak based on actual features, without bias; 4. Maintain an overall perspective, especially regarding the heart.