The Thirty-Six Strategies for Understanding People

Everyone has a long, slender groove under the nose, between the nose and upper lip, known as the “philtrum.” In face reading, the philtrum’s length, width, depth, and curve are believed to reflect a person’s wealth, fortune, longevity, luck, and even whether they will have children.

• A philtrum that tapers to a blade-like point at the bottom is highly prized; it suggests good health, a successful career, and children.
• A broad philtrum points to early luck—earning money before twenty and becoming independent early. For women, it also suggests a wide social circle and higher income.
• A narrow philtrum, with both ends similar in width, implies lower vitality and a tendency toward poverty, timidity, and stinginess.
• An overly wide philtrum indicates impatience, lower intellect, and a weaker bond with descendants.
• Narrow at the top and wide at the bottom is considered a classic sign of good fortune, often bringing prosperity in later years that benefits one’s descendants.
• Wide at the top and narrow at the bottom suggests poor perseverance, indecision, and a tendency to give up easily; children of such people may not fare as well as their siblings, leading to an unhappy life.
• Narrow at both ends but wide in the center points to frequent health issues and a life of hardship.
• A wide but indistinct middle section signals poor follow-through—success that slips away at the last moment—as well as weaker health and recurring illness.
• A short philtrum suggests low fortune, impatience, nervousness, few or no descendants, poor health, and a lonely old age.
• A rounded bulge across the philtrum suggests a meddlesome person who enjoys resolving disputes, often at personal financial cost.
• A person with a black mole on the philtrum is said to work hard for their children throughout life.
• Horizontal lines on the philtrum point to poor marriage prospects and a lifetime of worry over children’s affairs.
• An upward-curving philtrum suggests naivety and poor situational awareness, indicating impulsiveness and a somewhat dissolute temperament.

Male Philtrum

The areas flanking the philtrum where men grow facial hair are known as the “food fortune” (食禄). In face reading, food fortune is likened to a home’s kitchen: a broad food fortune implies abundance and comfort, while a narrow one suggests scarcity and poverty. The philtrum and food fortune are interconnected; a long philtrum often accompanies good food fortune. Men who grow little or no facial hair around the philtrum are thought to have weaker ties to their parents and a more turbulent life. By contrast, men with dense facial hair there are seen as energetic, decisive, and highly motivated, increasing their chances of success. Men with moles above the philtrum tend to gossip, change jobs frequently, and have strong appeal to the opposite sex. A deep, wide philtrum in men indicates strong reproductive capacity and dense body hair, whereas a shallow, indistinct philtrum that lacks a clear boundary with the food fortune suggests weaker reproductive ability and less compassion.

Female Philtrum

In face reading, the female philtrum is viewed as a reflection of the uterus. A crooked or curved philtrum suggests the uterus may tilt to the left or right. Women with a prominent philtrum tend to have dense body hair, while a narrow, fine philtrum points to sparser body hair. A mole above the philtrum symbolizes potential uterine issues. An ideal philtrum is thick, deep, and clearly lined. A sharp junction between the philtrum and the upper lip is said to indicate a tendency to have many sons, while a rounded junction suggests many daughters. If the top appears normal but the bottom is wider, that also points to having many sons; parallel sides indicate an equal number of sons and daughters. As women age, the philtrum generally becomes shallower; if it is barely visible by middle age, it suggests she may not have children. Women who develop horizontal lines on the philtrum when smiling may harbor suspicions of infidelity; those who engage in excessive sexual activity are also said to show this trait.