Liu Heng's Take on Face Reading: "Deliberate Speech Brings Wealth, Rash Actions Lead to Poverty

Ancient physiognomy combines folk wisdom by integrating the principles of facial features with concepts from traditional Chinese medicine. The proverbs related to physiognomy are both succinct and insightful, facilitating a quick understanding of a person's character and destiny. As Liu Heng stated: “Deep waters flow slowly; a noble person's words are measured.” The five facial features are core aspects of an individual, corresponding to innate qualities akin to the five elements, which are deeply tied to the five elements. Analyzing fate without considering these elements is like a plant without roots or a tree without a foundation.

1. Yellow complexion indicates a boy, red complexion indicates a girl

Traditionally, a pregnant woman's complexion has been used to predict the baby's gender. A yellowish complexion hints at a boy, while a reddish complexion suggests a girl. Colors red and black are associated with fire and water, linked to females; yellow represents earth, which overcomes water, indicating the birth of a boy.

2. Sour cravings indicate a boy, spicy cravings indicate a girl

Sour flavors are linked to the wood element and the liver, while spicy flavors correspond to the metal element and the lungs. According to Liu Heng's traditional feng shui teachings, the wood element leans toward the likelihood of having a son, whereas the metal element suggests a daughter. Note on the five flavors: The five flavors—sour, bitter, sweet, spicy, and salty—align with the five elements: sour corresponds to wood (liver), bitter to fire (heart), sweet to earth (spleen), spicy to metal (lungs), and salty to water (kidneys). If a pregnant woman craves sour foods, it suggests a son; craving spicy foods suggests a daughter.

3. Slow speech indicates wealth, hurried steps indicate poverty

Many traditional observations exist about people, including the sayings, “slow speech indicates wealth” and “hurried steps indicate poverty,” which can be puzzling. Liu Heng contemplated these for years before uncovering their significance. Slow speech represents thoughtful and reliable communication, while hurried steps suggest rash actions without consideration. A trustworthy and grateful person enjoys a stable life and blessings; conversely, an impulsive person who is ungrateful may briefly experience wealth but ultimately encounter misfortune.

4. A broken mountain root and a low hall of impressions indicate a woman who dominates her husband, and a man who dominates his wife

A broken mountain root and a low hall of impressions suggest that a woman dominates her husband and a man dominates his wife; a man may dominate two or three wives, while a woman might wear clothes from two households. Liu Heng: In physiognomy, the mountain root is considered the “couple seat.” A horizontal line here signifies a broken link, indicating marital instability; a low hall of impressions refers to a narrow space between the eyebrows, especially if they connect, indicating challenges in the couple's fate. A narrow hall suggests potential separation.

5. Hair that grows forward indicates lack of support; the forehead reveals family patterns

Liu Heng: Hair is seen as a reflection of blood and the essence of the kidneys, originating from the liver and kidneys. Thick, coarse hair implies a strong-willed and stubborn nature, often leading to independence but making it hard to rely on parents or siblings. Forehead lines can be divided into three: near the hairline represents the father; near the eyebrows represents the mother; and the middle of the forehead represents siblings. The absence of lines for both parents, with only a prominent line for siblings, indicates a lack of support from parents or siblings.