Chinese Physiognomy

Physiognomy, or face reading, is based on analyzing how physical attributes are directly related to life events. To frame the logic around this concept, you could better understand by thinking of psychosomatic disorders. For example, when one stresses, not only is this an emotional event, but also a physical event, because stress hormones are being released during this process. Frequent stress hormones cause dark circles under the eyes, wrinkles at a young age, hair loss, and an unbalanced microbiome.

Chinese face reading in particular is the science and art of reading one’s facial features to study their personality and life. The traditional Chinese form of physiognomy uses the five elements in Wu Xing philosophy, consisting of wood, fire, earth, metal and water.

Wu Xing is the transition and clashes between the five elements. Wu Xing used in the Four Pillars (also known as the Four Pillars of Destiny, The Eight Characters and BaZi) system, which is calculated with astrology and numerology. This system is made up of an hour, day, month and year pillar, which each one having one earthly branch (each being an animal), with a heavenly stem (each being a yin or yang polarity of one of the elements) sitting on top of the earthly branches.

The heavenly stems represent what we want and the earth branches are what we already have. With the four earthly branches and four heavenly systems combined, you get eight characters, hence the definition of BaZi.

The Features of the Five Elements

It’s important to note that it’s rare for someone’s face to look exactly like one element, as each BaZi chart tends to have variety. These are descriptions of each element alone.

• Wood — spring, the east direction, anger, generation, the eyes and is symbolized by plants. A wood face or body has a narrow or thin shape, with the lower jaw being thinner than the rest of the face and the forehead being the widest.
  
• Fire — summer, the south direction, joy, expansion, the tongue and is symbolized by fire, light and electricity. A fire face would have a mid face that is wider than the upper and lower regions, and have pointy features, such as a downturned nasal tip and arched eyebrows. The forehead could also be thinner in width compared to the lower jaw.
  
• Earth — the transition between seasons, the centre direction, worry, stabilization, the mouth and is symbolized by soil, mountains, and the ground. An earth face or body is distinguished by being on the wider side like a water face, but this is due to high muscle definition rather than fat. This type would have a square shape, and the jaw can be wider than the upper parts of the face, or have a shorter chin.
  
• Metal — autumn, the west direction, grief, contraction, the nose and is symbolized by metals and gems. A metal face or body is oval shaped, as the cheekbones do not protrude and the forehead and jaw areas aren’t prominent.
  
• Water — winter, the north direction, fear, conservation, the ears and is symbolized by water, mist, clouds and fog. A water face or body is round and wide due to fat, with asymmetrical and also-curved and larger features.
  

Celebrity Face and Body Example

Previous Princess Diana of Wales (Diana Frances Spencer):

• 3/8 Earth
  
• 2/8 Wood
  
• 2/8 Fire
  
• 1/8 Metal
  

Her nose had a dorsal hump and was downturned when she grinned (fire). Her lower jaw was shaped like the letter “V”, her hairline was straighter rather than round, and she was much taller than the average woman; she was 5’10” or 177.8 cm (wood). Her jawline was on the sharper side (metal), but not to an extreme. She seemed to have had a moderate amount of facial muscle definition (earth). She was born on July 1, 1961 at 7:45 PM.