Physiognomy: The Physiognomy Classic "Tai Qing Shen Jian"

The six-volume physiognomy book "Tai Qing Shen Jian" was originally attributed to Wang Pu of the Later Zhou Dynasty. Wang Pu's biography is recorded in Volume 128 of Old History of the Five Dynasties, which says that he was so proficient in astronomy, latitude and rhythm that he exhausted all his efforts. The "Great Zhou Qintian Calendar" and "Lüzhun" he compiled were circulated among the people. But there is no mention of him writing a book on physiognomy, so it is suspected that later generations wrote this book under his name.

There is an original preface at the beginning of the book, which says: (Physiognomy) has many origins, and the discussions are very lengthy. After Xu Fu, Yuan Tiangang, Tao Yinju, and Li Chunfeng, there are countless people, but they all explored the mysteries and obtained the most exquisite results. Some of them said things in a disorderly manner, or they were different or the same, which made it difficult for scholars to reach a consensus. Since I was a child, I have devoted myself to this study, studying ancient and modern times, and all my efforts have been fruitful. So I left Linwu Cave and went down the mountain for three years. I searched for ancient and modern times, and examined the most fundamental ones, and compiled them into a book, which I named Taiqing Shenjian, because it is so large and bright that it can examine all shapes, and so clear and translucent that it can distinguish all images. This reveals the author's motivation, which is to make physiognomy consistent and reach the utmost clarity.

The chapters of Taiqing Shenjian include the secrets of physiognomy, mystical theories, and theories of harmony and unity. Volume 2 includes miscellaneous talks, the Golden Book of Baoying, one hundred and twenty facial features, the two instruments, the five mountains and four rivers, the five organs and six palaces, the five elements of life and death, and the four school positions. Volume three includes a discussion of the mind, a discussion of life and death, a discussion of virtue, a discussion of spirits, a discussion of qi, and a song about the five colors of good and bad luck. Volume 4 contains discussions on form and spirit, sounds, and sitting and lying down. Volume 5 discusses bones and flesh, head and face, abdomen, back, waist, arms and palms. Volume 6 contains black moles, male appearance, and female appearance.

Volume 2 focuses on the discussion of physiognomy based on the theory of the five elements. It is believed that wood represents benevolence, brilliance and excellence, and determines one’s status. Fire is the body, which represents fierce power and determines both hardness and softness. Gold represents righteousness, and is responsible for punishment and law, disasters, fire dangers, and determining longevity or early death. Water represents wisdom, intelligence and sharpness, and can determine the wise and the foolish. Earth represents trust, is the master of virtue, and carries all things, determining wealth and poverty. The five senses belong to the five elements respectively: the ears belong to the north Ren and Gui water, the eyes belong to the east Jia and Yi wood, the tongue belongs to the south Bing and Ding fire, the nose belongs to the west Geng and Xin metal, and the face belongs to the center Wu and Ji earth. The five internal organs are connected to various parts of the body. The liver represents the eyes and is also responsible for the tendons, veins, nails and nails. The heart represents the tongue, and is also responsible for blood, qi, and hair. The lungs appear in the nose and are also responsible for skin breathing. The spleen represents the lips and is also responsible for the flesh. The kidneys give rise to the ears, and are also responsible for bones and teeth.

Volume Three believes that a person's appearance reflects his or her character and temperament. Those with a dignified appearance and a gentle temperament are loyal and filial, those with a straight bone structure and a calm complexion are equal, those with wide eyebrows and eyes are tolerant, those with a gentle temperament and a leisurely temperament are pure, those with a broad and yellow face are benevolent, those with a straight nose and a calm spirit are regular, and those with a solemn and ancient appearance are upright.

Volume 4 discusses the relationship between form and spirit, emphasizing the primacy of matter. Therefore, when a person is alive, he has spirit as long as he has form, and he has Tao as long as he has spirit. The spirit needs the form to be at peace, and the form needs the spirit to function. The body can nourish the blood, the blood can nourish the qi, and the qi can nourish the spirit. Therefore, if the body is complete, the blood is complete, if the blood is complete, the qi is complete, and if the qi is complete, the spirit is complete.

Volumes 5 and 6 describe specific physiognomy methods, saying that the forehead can determine the nobility of an face and the honor and disgrace of the three auxiliary parts; the head is the center of the body and the leader of all the bones; the eyebrows are the green covers of the eyes and the appearance of the face; the back is the foundation of the body; and moles are like mountains that grow trees and the ground that produces hills. It also discusses the appearance of men and women, and the signs of poverty, wealth, nobility, early life, life and death, etc., most of which are nonsense.

Compared with other physiognomy books, the style of Taiqing Shenjian seems to be slightly higher. It is not limited to hand and face physiognomy, but spends more space to discuss issues such as morality, form and spirit, which shows that the author is not a vulgar person, and may be a frustrated Confucian scholar who has fallen into the underworld.

The above is the physiognomy brought to you by the editor: the physiognomy classic "Taiqing Shenjian", I hope it will be helpful to you! For more guides, please continue to pay attention to the physiognomy classics section of the Dream Interpreter website!