Is it true that people cannot be judged by appearance?

Like divination, the Book of Changes, and astrology, physiognomy is also a form of numerology that originated early in ancient China. It predicts a person's good or bad fortune by observing and analyzing his appearance, voice, complexion, etc. According to historical records, physiognomy had already emerged in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. "Zuo Zhuan: The First Year of Duke Wen of Lu" records that the internal historian Shufu was able to physiognomy. "Guoyu" also contains some examples of physiognomy, such as "Zhengyu": "The King of Zhou dislikes people with thick horns and those who are close to naughty children." Wei Zhao's note says: "People with horns that are covered and those with thick cheekbones are both wise and intelligent." "Zhouyu" also says that Shusun Qiao is like a sharp upper part and a sharp lower part, which is suitable for offending others. If we follow the records in "The Records of the Three Dynasties of Confucius: Shaoxian" that Yao selected people based on their appearance, Shun selected people based on their color, and King Wen selected people based on their measurements (see "Da Dai Li"), then the art of physiognomy has existed since ancient times. However, the physiognomy in the pre-Qin period was mostly used to judge people's talents and wisdom, and there was no detailed theory of physiognomy. Therefore, strictly speaking, it is not exactly the same as the physiognomy mentioned in later generations. Xunzi, a great thinker in the Warring States Period, sharply criticized this idealistic art of physiognomy, pointing out that physiognomy was not practiced by the ancients and scholars do not talk about it (Xunzi: Fei Xiang).

Despite criticism from some thinkers, physiognomy continues to spread more and more widely, has a growing influence, and has even taken shape as a theoretical prototype. We can get a glimpse of this from a passage describing Bai Qi in Sima Qian's "Records of the Grand Historian: The Family of Zhao": Bai Qi has a small head but a sharp tip, so he is decisive and daring; the boy can distinguish between black and white, sees things clearly, and looks forward without wavering, showing a strong will. Inferring a person based on his head shape, eyes and gaze involves some semantic symbols of physiognomy. Sima Qian was a relatively serious historian, but when he discussed some important historical figures, he consciously or unconsciously used the physiognomy techniques of the pre-Qin period. With Sima Qian's example, some historians in later generations followed his example. : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :

Although this book no longer exists, judging by the level of interest people paid to it, it must have had a significant influence during the Six Dynasties period. Tao Hongjing and Liu Xiaobiao of the Liang Dynasty in the Southern Dynasties both wrote prefaces for the "Xiang Jing". Tao said in his preface: Physiognomy is to show the nature and destiny in the body shape and bones, and the good and bad luck in the temperament and appearance. It is just like planning before taking action, the heart moves first and then responds, the inside and outside interact with each other, and no one knows why. However, wealth, honor, longevity and premature death each have their own values. Tao believed that everyone's destiny is predetermined, and that destiny, good or bad fortune, and misfortune can be manifested through external things such as a person's appearance. This is completely consistent with the basic theory of Chinese physiognomy; on the basis of following this basic theory, Liu Xu made a specific explanation of the relationship between a person's appearance and his destiny: The relationship between fate and appearance is like the relationship between sound and echo. The sound moves at the edge, and the echo reaches its limit. Although people’s life spans vary, and their wisdom and stupidity vary, we can still hear the general idea among them. If one is born with intelligence, able to speak when weak, with eight-colored eyebrows and four-pupiled beautiful eyes, then this is truly a special gift from heaven and the symbol of a sage. With the wonder of the sun's horns and the moon's reclining, the beauty of the dragon's roosting and the tiger's crouching, the earth's tranquility in the city and shops, the sky's movement in the palm of your hand, the golden hammer and jade pillow, facing each other in all directions, the rhinoceros crouching and the roof raised, the hidden wheels reflecting each other; the well and the house are both integrated, the food shortages are full, and it is also the clear effect of the emperor and the ministers. As for his deep eyes and long neck, his droopy face and frowning face, he walks like a snake and stands like a ferocious bird, he pecks at the beak of a bird, his tendons are not bound by his body, his blood is not bright, his hands are not as soft as spring catkins, his hair is as dry as winter weeds; he may be lucky at first but unlucky later, or he may grow up in poverty. Isn't it sad? From the prefaces of Tao and Liu, we can see that during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the theory of physiognomy in China was basically complete. Chinese physiognomy originated in the Spring and Autumn Period, so why did its theory continue into the Northern and Southern Dynasties? There are at least two points that cannot be ignored here. One is the trend of evaluating people that was prevalent during the Southern and Northern Dynasties, and the other is self-discovery in front of others. The trend of evaluating characters not only makes people pay attention to their virtues, talents, and words, but also their external image. This comprehensive observation and evaluation of people is exactly what physiognomy needs. People's self-discovery or the awakening of their individual consciousness affirms the cultural role and cultural value of individuals, which is the necessary prerequisite for physiognomy. Although physiognomy is based on the belief and affirmation of fate, it does not deny the value of the individual. On the contrary, it believes that the role and value of a person cannot be changed by some external force. However, physiognomy did not flourish during the Southern and Northern Dynasties. It only went through a theoretical development stage. It gradually reached its peak after entering the Tang Dynasty. In the Song Dynasty, the heyday of physiognomy really arrived. Its main signs were the emergence of the physiognomy work "Ma Yi Xiang Fa" and the widespread popularity of physiognomy in the court and the country.

The above is all about physiognomy. Is it true that one cannot judge a person by his appearance? For more information, please follow the Dream Interpreter's Fortune Telling Network's "Appearances are Born from the Heart" channel!