Physiognomy: The Physiognomy Classic "Xiang Fa"

The physiognomy book "Xiangfa" was written by Xu Fu in the Han Dynasty and edited and printed by Zhou Lujing in the Ming Dynasty.

The legend about Xu Fu can be found in the early Han Dynasty. She was from Wendi, Henei, and Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty conferred on her the title of Marquis of Mingciting. (The Records of the Grand Historian records that Xu Fu read the face of Zhou Yafu when Yafu was not yet a marquis but was the governor of Henei. Xu Fu read his face and said: You will become a marquis in three years. A marquis will become a general at the age of eight and hold the reins of state power. You will be very important and there will be no other ministers. Then you will starve to death at the age of nine. Yafu laughed and said: My elder brother has succeeded my father as a marquis. It is like he died. Your son will take over the throne. Why do you say you will become a marquis? But since you are already as important as Fu said, why do you say you will starve to death? Show me. Ji Fu pointed to his mouth and said: There are many people who follow the rules. This is the way to starve to death.

"Book of Han: Biographies of Foreign Relatives" records that Xu Fu read the fortune of Emperor Wen's mother, Bo Ji, and predicted that she would give birth to an emperor. The text says that Xu Fuxiang Bo Ji will give birth to an emperor

"Xiangfa" has 16 chapters, which discuss the eyes, nose, philtrum, ears, lips, mouth, teeth, tongue, chest, abdomen, chin, feet, genitals, urine and feces, walking, and hearing. It is believed that a person's image and temperament determine his destiny. If one has long and beautiful eyes, he will be close to the king; if one has dragon eyes and phoenix eyes, he will value food and wealth; if one has eyes like a lying bow, he will be a treacherous hero. If the nose is broad and straight, the person will be extremely rich and noble; if the nose tip is short and small, the person will be shallow and have a small will; if the mouth is like a horn bow, the person will be one of the three highest officials in the country; if the mouth is like a red pill, the person will not be hungry or cold; if there are black spots on the palm of the hand, the person will have endless wealth and food.

Among the Dunhuang manuscripts is Xu Fuxiang's book. The "Continued Summary of the Complete Library in the Four Branches of Literature" says: There are three fragments of this book in the Dunhuang version. Volume A has a preface, starting from the second chapter on the body and ending at the thirty-third chapter on the soles of the feet; Volume B starts from the eighteenth chapter on the head and forehead and also ends at the thirty-third chapter on the feet; Volume C starts from the third chapter on the five sense organs and ends at the thirty-fifth chapter on the complexion and temperament of a person. According to a line attached after the preface, there are thirty-six categories of facial features and patterns, which means the whole book has thirty-six sections. If these three volumes are combined, only the first and thirty-sixth are missing, so the book is almost complete. The theories such as physiognomy on eyebrows, nose, ears, mouth, forehead lines, palm lines and foot lines are the most important parts of physiognomy. The sections on forehead lines, palm lines and foot lines are particularly detailed in this book. Because this book was extremely popular at the time, there are many copies of it, and the wording and sentences are slightly different.

The above is the complete content of physiognomy: the physiognomy book "Xiangfa". For more information on physiognomy books, please pay attention to the Dream Interpreter website!