What Determines How You Look?
People have pondered human appearance since ancient times. As we age, the way those around us look changes—especially friends and classmates we haven’t seen in years. When we meet again, it often stirs nostalgia. Yet the observant notice that some people look much the same at a glance, while others have changed so much they’re hardly recognizable. What, then, determines a person’s appearance? As Teacher Yang explains, our looks are shaped by both inborn and acquired factors.
Let’s start with the inborn. Each person inherits their parents’ lineage and spirit and is born with a unique destiny pattern aligned with their Five Elements makeup. The relative strength of each element varies from person to person and can influence one’s appearance from birth. For instance, those with strong water energy may have darker skin and thick hair; those with strong fire energy may have a smaller head and longer legs, a narrower top and broader bottom, thick eyebrows, small ears, and coarse hair. By contrast, those lacking metal energy may be shorter in stature with less refined features, and so on.
As we grow and our surroundings change, the effects of annual luck and elemental energy can subtly reshape our looks. This helps explain why someone who seemed ordinary in childhood may become striking as an adult—often a reflection of both environment and destiny. When a person’s Five Elements are balanced and in harmony with their setting, they naturally develop a more balanced appearance, much like a sapling that takes on different forms depending on the climate and soil where it’s planted.
It’s worth recalling the old saying, “Appearance arises from the heart.” U.S. President Abraham Lincoln put it similarly: “After forty, a person is responsible for his face.” People who consistently do good and cultivate kindness tend to become warm and approachable over time. By contrast, those who engage in corruption or harm others live in fear of exposure; with time, their faces can reflect a smallness of character. While some wrongdoers may still look attractive, that too is a matter of time—their appearance will eventually change. In short, how we look is shaped by what’s in our hearts.
Therefore, whatever you were born with, you can cultivate a dignified appearance and graceful bearing by working on yourself. Knowing that appearance begins in the heart, we can put this into practice every day: tend to your personal presentation; foster kindness, generosity, and tolerance; speak gently; act with integrity. Over time, your features will appear more upright, harmonious, and attractive, drawing admiration—and good fortune. To cultivate beauty, first cultivate the heart.