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Chapter 4 of 14
公笃相法
On the Hand Belly and Foot Belly 🖐️
If the hand belly and foot belly (i.e., the plump, raised middle sections of the palms and soles) lack fullness, it is the most ominous of physiognomic signs. If the limbs are as uniformly thick as an axle from end to end, with no隆起 in the middle, then even if one possesses farmland, property, and ancestral patronage, one will ultimately squander the family fortune and sink into poverty.
The thighs and calves are commonly called the hand belly and foot belly. The term "belly" refers to the middle section being noticeably thicker and fuller than the two ends. All patterns signifying wealth, honor, and longevity must have hand bellies and foot bellies to qualify. If this feature is absent and the limbs are straight and uniform like an axle, then the wealthy will encounter extraordinary calamities and ruin, and the honored will face danger and misfortune. Only those destined for early death or poverty match this physiognomic form.
On Head Scars and Mange-Scald Marks 🩹
A head with sunken scar marks, mangy lesions, and transverse cuts or gouges most invites punishment and affliction. In the destiny pattern, it is as though a net is cast over the body—if it does not correspond to harming one's wife and children, then the household will decline into desolation.
Head scars refer to sunken scar marks; mange refers to conditions resembling leprous sores; scald marks refer to transverse gouging shapes. These all portend affliction upon family members, as well as treacherous perils and vicissitudes of success and failure. Hence the saying "the household declines into desolation"—meaning that family members diminish day by day and property dissipates day by day.
On the "Young Gentleman's Face" 👤
The physiognomic method most taboo is the "young gentleman's face": if a man bears this appearance, his life will not be long; if a woman bears this appearance, she will be wanton and unrestrained; only monks and Daoists are exempt from this restriction—for them, solitude is of no consequence.
The "young gentleman's face" refers to a beautiful, rosy countenance with a delicate, tender sheen—tabooed in physiognomy. An elder with this appearance suffers loneliness and a vicious temperament; a man with this appearance suffers lewdness and early death; a woman with this appearance suffers lewdness and affliction. Only monks and Daoists are unaffected—because they have no use for lineage succession, and being unconnected to solitude, they simply have no family members to afflict.
On Broken Eyebrows 👁️
When eyebrows are broken in the middle and extend downward toward the cheekbones, one frequently loses farmland through litigation. Only after harming two or three wives and children will calamity cease to linger.
Broken eyebrows indicate混杂 and affliction upon brothers, with internal troubles outweighing external ones—hence lawsuits and disputes arise. Further examination shows that those with broken eyebrows are greedy by nature, unwilling to bear small losses, and intolerant of minor offenses. Though they are much entangled in disputes, it is also because they handle affairs with improper weighting of importance.
On Eye Forms 🔥
Lustful people's eyes carry "flower"—referring to a beautiful, flowing gaze. Do not let the eyes be tight-pressed or glancing askance at others. To judge whether a person is poisonous or not, only look at the eyes: one born with "snake eyes"—even his own son would dare to strike his father.
The word "flower" describes beautiful flowing eyes; the word "tight" describes a hasty, unsteady gaze. As for snake eyes, they refer to dark pupils that are round and protruding, yellow floating in the four whites, bulging and slanting in gaze, with red veins circling the pupils. This denotes cruelty, cunning, and greed—also within the bounds of physiognomic principle.
On Sheep's Eyes 🐏
One born with sheep's eyes has no home to dwell in and must lodge in the homes of others. Furthermore, if the "grain granary" rises one inch high, one will still have no wife even in middle age.
"Unpolished rice" refers to an eye shape with more white than black and white floating around the edges—indicating affliction upon family and cold decline. For women, this is doubly ominous. As for "grain granary," one interpretation is the upper eyelid being high and sluggishly sunken; another says it is an alternative name for the two cheekbones. I recall that ancient methods refer to the mouth being pointed and pursed as the "grain granary," because the two granaries of food and salary are located at the mouth corners.
On the Sharp Receding Chin ⛰️
A receding chin that is sharp like a chisel portends misfortune and calamity. One will pawn gardens and fields, sell off ponds. Even with Zhang Liang's cunning stratagems, one cannot avoid inversion and disorder, ending in utter disarray.
A sharp receding chin is not tabooed for the Wood and Fire physiognomic types—because sharp exposure is inherently the essential nature of these two forms. For other types, however, it is unsuitable, indicating failure and cold decline in later years—hence the ruin of having facts turned upside down.
On Protruding Eyeballs 👀
Protruding eyeballs indicate evil karmic connections. From the time one establishes one's own household, one is certain to sell off farmland. Moreover, when the white of the eye wraps half the dark pupil, one cannot die peacefully in one's bed.
Protruding eyeballs refer to bulging exposure. When the eyes protrude and the spirit is turbid, ruin of the family is certain. As for white wrapping the dark pupil, this is the form of wasp eyes and peeping eyes—certainly indicating a violent death.
On the Chin Rising to Heaven 🌅
A chin rising to heaven (the earth granary facing heaven) indicates good fortune in later years. If the border city is broken, one has no wealth. Even years of drought do not leave one owing rice, because the upper and lower granaries are connected.
A chin rising to heaven means the earth granary faces heaven—the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty had this pattern. This is the physiognomy of a founding emperor, hence good fortune in later years. If the border city is broken, one's homeland is ruined and one rises to prominence elsewhere—this is a pattern of chaotic times; in times of peace, it means total failure. The upper heaven granary is identical to the lower earth granary.
On the Exposed Nasal Bridge 👃
An exposed nasal bridge is "reverse groaning"; a crooked, turning bridge is "prostrate groaning." When the reverse groaning appears, it portends extinction; when the prostrate groaning appears, it portends dripping ruin.
A nasal bridge that curves three times straight down is prostrate groaning; curving three times to left and right is reverse groaning. Prostrate groaning mostly indicates failure and ruin of the family, but descendants may still be established. Reverse groaning mostly indicates affliction upon family members, harming wife and children—as already discussed in detail previously.
On Clear, Elegant Eye Spirit ✨
Those with clear, elegant eye spirit have nimble minds; even without studying poetry and books, they are still teachable material. All hundred crafts they perform by hand are commendable—even making falsehood, they can turn it into truth.
Clear, elegant eye spirit is certainly versatile and intelligent; though one walks the path of crafts and skills, there is surpassing ability. If clarity and elegance surpass into excessive beauty, it indicates lewdness and early death; if clarity and elegance flow too freely, it indicates uselessness and baseness. Hence, clarity and elegance with depth and roots is the pattern of leisurely good fortune.
On Thin Gauze Dyed Black 🌫️
A complexion like thin gauze dyed black (dusky with dust specks)—even with a wife, one has no sons. If the mountain root is high but broken, within five years one weeps three times by the roadside.
"Thin gauze dyed black" is murky, dusky qi with dust specks densely distributed. This is an omen of cold decline and affliction; it still requires determination by location: at the fortune hall, it indicates lawsuits; at the Saturn star, loss of wealth; at the tear hall, loss of family members; at the seal hall, shortened lifespan and danger of imprisonment; at the fish tail, affliction upon the wife; at the national seal, setbacks and affliction upon brothers and uncles. This is the general outline.
On Tear Traces 💧
Deep in the tear traces a dot is arranged; below the eyes before the forehead a star rises. The left side has no male and the right no female; even if slightly present, they bring mutual affliction.
This has always indicated affliction. I examine that deep tear traces mostly afflict children: for males, the left crease afflicts sons and the right afflicts daughters; for females, the reverse. As for a single bone protruding before the cheekbone, it mostly produces actors and prostitutes. If there are descendants, they are all daughters who stand while sons do not.
On the Hairline 💇
A low, sunken hairline means losing one's father in childhood; hair raising in horns at the temples means losing one's mother in childhood. A high, protruding right forehead means the mother dies first—if she does not die or inflict punishment, then one harms oneself.
A low hairline with crooked branches harms the father; temple hair protruding to join the brow tail harms the mother. Left cheekbone high harms the father; right high harms the mother. These are all theories for males—for females, the reverse applies. In today's era, women's patterns also sometimes conform like males'—is this not the transformation of heaven's way?
On the Scholar's Literary Star 📚
A scholar with sunken, ruined eyes damages his literary star. Leopard fingers with pointed tips certainly bring no fame. Let your essays tower above the Big Dipper—it is still like bamboo and wood without nails (unstable foundation).
The literary star refers to the eyes. "Sunken and ruined" means lacking one of them. Whenever a scholar's literary star collapses, it is the weak point of his career pursuit. "Leopard fingers" refers to finger shapes with round joints and pointed nails; pointed tips likewise. These three conditions all indicate no success in the examination system.
On Heavy Eyebrows with No Root 🏔️
Heavy eyebrows with a weak, sunken mountain root portend loss of wealth, and one worries of calamity at thirty-two. A large, prominent Saturn star (nose tip) brings eventual prosperity; a thin, small Saturn star—once gone, never returns.
This refers to heavy eyebrows with a sunken, weak mountain root—hence the frustration of ancestral endeavors, also indicating illness and disaster. If the nose tip is large and prominent, recovery and prosperity are possible; otherwise, there is ruin without achievement.
On Shoulders, Neck, Ears, and Eyebrows 🎭
Cold-patterned people shrug their shoulders above the neck; fortune-enjoying people have ears pressing high above the brows. Moreover, even kinship does not manifest—only because the form resembles pushing through rain (cowering posture).
This refers to the cold and lowly having shoulders shrug above the neck; the fortunate and long-lived having ears pressing high above the brows. As for kindness, honesty, cunning, and treachery, other locations must be consulted—hence the saying that temperament accords with physical substance lies in how the various parts are jointly matched.
On Capacity 🧭
The measure of capacity is determined by the eyebrows and eyes. High eyebrows with steady eyes naturally indicate a kind heart; thick eyebrows with small eyes and unsettled spirit—one eats at dawn the grain allotted for noon (living beyond means).
High eyebrows indicate great capacity and longevity; steady eyes indicate far-reaching strategy—hence the natural revelation of conscience. Thick eyebrows indicate a forceful, rash temperament; small eyes indicate cunning and greed; unsettled spirit indicates a confounded, wavering mind—hence failure and dissipation.
On Granaries and Nasal Bridge 🏚️
When the two granaries of food and salary approach the earth granary, it reverses into calamity. A high, exposed nasal bridge prevents peaceful dwelling. If the space between the brows can accommodate two fingers, such a person finds transactions beneficial from the outset.
"When the granaries of food and salary approach the earth granary" does not refer to the heaven granary. The nasal bridge may be high but must not be exposed—as already discussed in detail. It is also said that "eyebrows accommodate two fingers" may refer to the brow tail drooping two fingers or the width of the three yang being two fingers. Because those with vulgar eyes and turbid spirit find things beneficial.
On Complexion and Red Eyes 🔴
Those who take lives have black on the face; those who exchange bone marrow have red in the eyes. They show joy at seeing people while harboring poison in the heart; they show frowning brows while the sun hollows beneath.
A blue-black pallor of suffering on the face indicates cruelty, malice, and endurance. Red threads piercing the eyes indicate insidiousness, hardness, and cunning. Cold eyes with frequent smiles indicate heartlessness and narrowness. Frowning brows rushing upward indicate worry and overthinking. These are the most accurate methods.
On the Well and Stove ⛲
Nostrils exposed at the well and stove cannot be preserved—how can one gain a fleeting life of peace in old age? Do not fear having once been an official in middle age; one has only clothing and food, no surplus wealth.
Nostrils exposed at the well and stove mean wealth does not enter the treasury. Though one may rise to noble office, one will forever lack fields and houses—only the two words "clothing and food." One lives a straitened life, much constrained by circumstance, unable to accumulate.
Gong Du's Critique of Ma Yi 📝
Gong Du comments: Among all the physiognomy texts, Ma Yi is regarded as the orthodox school. Its method combines principle and technique, and since it was composed in the chaotic Five Dynasties period, many of its correspondences with the present age are numerous. Though it has strengths and profundity, it alone cannot match the depth of Da Mo. What is the reason? Ma Yi speaks of technique with principle interwoven—containing some fabricated aspects; Da Mo speaks of technique without discussing principle—containing unique insights. Without experiential research, one cannot grasp its original meaning. Yet the old texts contain many errors and omissions—characters with similar forms confused, textual corruptions from transcription. I have therefore specially revised and annotated to make everything clear at a glance for readers.
Some of its methods do not prove accurate, such as "lips turned up with teeth exposed—die a stranger's death in other lands." If annotated as "inviting trouble without cause," it proves most effective. Other items resembling this are numerous. I record them still, for future wise scholars to verify and select—using them will be as handy as one's own hand.
This is one of Da Mo's refined arts. Hidden but not obscured—eye spirit uses concealment and gathering of light as its essence. Hence the first character begins with "hide."
Hidden but Not Obscured 👁️
"Obscured" means murky and lusterless. Spirit hidden with moisture and sheen is the orthodox standard. Hidden but not obscured indicates a person honored without peril, renowned with longevity. If hidden yet murky, though honored, one dies young or faces danger; though wealthy, one meets setbacks or illness.
Calm but Not Foolish 🧘
Those with calm eye spirit mostly enjoy leisurely fortune. Calmness is a state of mental peace and harmony—neither hasty nor agitated, emitting a light of compassion. Hence the pattern of calm spirit frequently manifests as dullness—and dullness is what the word "foolish" denotes. Therefore, calm but not foolish constitutes a pattern of leisurely comfort and abundant fortune.
Dynamic but Not Exposed ⚡
Spirit that is lively and commanding indicates great nobility and special authority. "Dynamic" refers to the state of activation. Each time there is activation, if the spirit neither flows nor exposes itself, it is auspicious. If during activation the spirit flows and exposes, then though noble, one encounters violent disaster; though wise, one has peculiar obsessions. Hence dynamic but not exposed is a pattern of nobility with a good ending.
Clear but Not Withered 💎
Clear spirit indicates nobility, renown, wisdom, and landed property—hence the twelve palaces name it the palace of fields and houses. Whenever there is a clear-spirit pattern, one must examine whether it has roots. Clear spirit with roots brings great fame, longevity, and wealth; clear spirit without roots brings high renown but early death, wealth with setbacks, or solitude and affliction. Hence clear but not withered is the orthodox standard.
Harmonious but Not Weak 🌿
Harmonious spirit is a state of compassion and peace—the person is kind, righteous, and just: as a minister, certainly loyal; as a son, certainly filial; toward others, certainly sincere; in self-conduct, certainly trustworthy. "Weak" means the state of debilitation. If harmonized spirit is weak, then longevity is insufficient, virtue is not firm, resolve is unsteady, and fortune is insubstantial. Hence harmonious but not weak is the orthodox standard.
Angry but Not Contentious ⚔️
Angry spirit is a state of rectitude, gravity, and magnanimity. In prosperous times, it indicates nobility with great authority; in chaotic times, one becomes a military commander with the safety of the realm resting upon one's person. "Contentious" describes a floating, tense, and agitated demeanor—one narrow in tolerance and small in vessel, instead inviting the calamity of self-destruction and family ruin. Hence angry but not contentious is the qualifying standard.
Firm but Not Solitary 🛡️
Firm spirit is a state of dignity and composure—abundant in talent, wisdom, and courage; mostly producing renowned generals and governing ministers, indicating merit in founding nations and expanding territory. If the word "solitary" indicates a state of isolation, stubbornness, and arrogance, firm spirit with solitude brings the failure of one basket short of a mountain—a poor ending. Hence firm but not solitary is the orthodox standard.
Gong Du's Critique of Da Mo 📜
Gong Du comments: Da Mo was a man of India in the Western Regions, who crossed the river to spread the Way in the Eastern Lands during the Six Dynasties period. He was profoundly learned and versatile, deeply versed in illusion techniques—hence the story of "crossing the river on a single reed." He also mastered the arts of longevity and boxing. Coming to China to teach, he divided and established schools, each maintaining its own tradition. As for physiognomy, he may be called the founding master of its revival. All readers of the Five Arrivals Method are like physicians reading The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon—the foundational authority for citing classics. All who read the Ma Yi Physiognomy Method are like physicians reading Zhong Jing's Six Channels—the key to differentiating meridians.
I consider that physiognomy originated with Feng Hou Shi, a minister of the Yellow Emperor—indeed the name "Feng Jian" (wind-inspection) derives from Feng Hou's assessing. After the Qin Dynasty's burning of books, physiognomy texts also perished. Hence, from the Han and Tang onward, though people occasionally spoke of physiognomy, no books survived for study. When Da Mo first entered China in the Six Dynasties, no physiognomy texts yet existed. It was only in the Five Dynasties that Da Mo returned to China and, finding Ma Yi, transmitted the Five Arrival physiognomy methods in five chapters. Therefore, before Da Mo, all was half-branch, half-understanding—without division of general principles or distinction of weight, with no books to read and no method to study. From Da Mo onward, physiognomy became verifiable and increasingly clarified. This is the true lineage of the tradition.
Now examining the first chapter's discussion of spirit survey—merely twenty-one characters (the supplemental fourteen are my addition; the original text had only the first seven)—yet it contains profound depths, both concise and arcane—something no other text can match. Though Ma Yi's method is orthodox, comparison shows it greatly inferior to Da Mo in numerous respects. Reflection on these twenty-one characters reveals each contains the most mysterious subtleties: above, they encompass the waxing and waning, thickness and thinness of heaven's way; below, they encompass the auspicious and ominous, fortune and misfortune of human affairs. Hence I have added marginal annotations so readers may pay careful attention and not read carelessly—only then will one understand the lofty depth and fine subtlety of Da Mo's method, worthy of the founder of physiognomy.
Refined and Upright 📐
Refined eyes indicate wisdom and abundant talent—that is to say, clarity and elegance. Yet the form must be upright, and so with refinement and uprightness one proceeds upon the straight path: one's conduct is filial and fraternal, one's pursuits are pure fame, and one's wisdom and talent are employed in the right direction. If refined but not upright, then talent becomes crooked and self-serving, wit becomes depraved and violates proper order—anathema to physiognomy.
Delicate and Elongated 🌙
Eye forms that are delicate naturally conceal their spirit without floating exposure. Elongation produces the phoenix-eye form, indicating great nobility. Hence Ma Yi has the saying "river eye"—this is Sima Xuanwang's self-regard of his own ears establishing the foundation. Delicate but not elongated merely indicates a small-scale nobility, never a great vessel. Hence delicate and elongated is the qualifying standard.
Steady and Manifesting 🎯
Steady eyes gather light sufficiently and can radiate it forth. Those with steady eyes show signs of far-reaching ambition; those with abundant energy show signs of great longevity; with the addition of manifesting authority, one's undertakings will be achieved and opportunities will coincide. Hence steady and manifesting is the orthodox standard. Steady but not manifesting—though one has great aspirations, one never meets the right opportunity.
Manifesting and Retiring 🔄
The eyes manifest outward authority yet retire inward, gathering the spirit. This speaks of having wisdom and talent not displayed on the surface, using substance for actual practice. If manifesting without retiring, one incurs the hidden harm of envy and enmity that impedes one's affairs. Hence manifesting with the ability to retire is acceptable—neither floating wildly nor bearing the flaw of peculiar obsessions.
No White Above and Below ⚪
Eye forms regard white as more auspicious when reduced, and black as less. Eyes with the four whites floating indicate violent death and failure, as well as affliction upon family and loneliness. White floating above while not below indicates a confounded mind with treachery and greed; white below while not above indicates arrogance with reckless undertakings. Hence no white above or below is the orthodox standard.
Long Gazing Without Lapsing 🕐
Eye spirit that grows more vital with prolonged gazing is auspicious. With longer gazing, the light becomes radiant and commanding—one is endowed with thick qi, indicating longevity, honor, and emolument. If after prolonged gazing the spirit lapses, its light shrinks fearfully—the person lacks endurance of heart, has short lifespan and meager emolument, encountering setbacks midway. Hence long gazing without lapsing is the orthodox standard.
Meeting Change Without Depletion 🌪️
When a person is in times of hardship and distress, their physical appearance is bound to change—how much more so when facing danger? Will it not deplete their vitality and primal essence? This is like Wang Shouren, who, when adversity struck and he encountered a tiger, remained calm in appearance and settled in spirit as if in normal times—neither depleting his essence nor altering his form. Later he became a general and minister, enjoying great renown. All those who face danger without depletion or alteration are of the highest nobility.
Gongdu's Commentary on the Seven Rules 📋
Gongdu notes: The forms of the eyes are many, and the methods do not end with these seven rules alone. However, Bodhidharma used these seven items as the general framework encompassing all methods. Though the subtle details are numerous, many are also combined within them. These all derive from individual inference—one may take the middle ground between the two extremes. Thus, his method uses only twenty-four characters, yet encompasses wealth, nobility, poverty,贱, longevity, early death, fortune, misfortune, calamity, blessings, regret, integrity, fairness, malice, and treachery—all complete within it. This method of physiognomy can be described as "one character, one pearl." As for Liu Zhuang and Heng Zhen, they would be ashamed to death with nowhere to hide.
Head and Face Seven Parts, Body Three Parts 📏
Full-body measurement is calculated as ten parts total. The head and face occupy seven-tenths, while from the neck downward the entire body occupies three-tenths. Why is it that the head and face, which are not even one-tenth of the entire body by size, occupy seven parts? Is it truly that significant?
Note: The head is the chief of all yang and the source where all meridians gather. Thus, the eyes, ears, mouth, and nose are the crystallizations of the five organs' five forms, all concentrated above. Therefore, though the body below the neck occupies nine-tenths of the volume, it counts for only three parts. The hands and feet are called the four limbs; "limbs" signifies branches and leaves—clearly insufficient as primary material. Hence the saying "a base person may have a noble palm," which gives a general picture. Moreover, when a person loses hands or feet, life may still be preserved, but if the head is severed, there is no life. The disparity in importance is also evident.
This is the second essence of Bodhidharma's artistry. Eyes five parts, cheekbones one part, nose one part, forehead one part, chin one part, eyebrows, mouth, teeth, and ears combined one part.
All physiognomists regard the eyes as the crucial point, hence the saying "Ask for nobility in the eyes." The eyes govern wealth, nobility, poverty,贱, longevity, early death, toil, ease, gentleness, firmness, life, and death. The entire body's spirit hangs upon them, and they represent intelligence and ignorance. Therefore they occupy five-tenths.
For any person, if the eyes are lost, all great undertakings are lost. Even Yue would have the acuity of Shi Kuang's hearing, it would be but a single skill. Such is their importance—they also represent one's foundation for establishing oneself in the world.
The cheekbones represent authority, the nose represents wealth, so each occupies one point. The forehead is the residual inheritance of prior fortune, the chin is the final settlement of late fortune, so each also occupies one point. The eyebrows, mouth, teeth, and ears are also parts of minor significance, combined as one point. This measurement of relative weight constitutes the standard and yardstick of physiognomic method.
Gongdu's Commentary on Measurement 📐
Gongdu notes: Bodhidharma's physiognomy method includes the measurement of body and face—something absent from all other schools. Though the method is simple, the relative weights are naturally clear and distinct. This too is Bodhidharma's distilled excellence. Every true master must have standards and procedures to distinguish weight and scores. If the key points are qualified, although minor points may be insufficient, the person still belongs to the stamp of wealth, nobility, and long life. If the key points are flawed and weak, although minor points may be beautiful, the person still belongs to the stamp of poverty,贱, early death, and weakness. Other books use each isolated feature separately with no distinction of falsehood or truth, no examination of weight—how can they be masters? They merely discuss theory, only stealing empty fame. Any practitioner of physiognomy must first clarify the outline of relative importance, then examine the authenticity of featured points—that is only then the orthodox method.
This is the third essence of Bodhidharma's artistry.
Tathāgata has the moving spirit, the still spirit, the emerging spirit, the entering spirit, and the exhaustive spirit. When the five spirits are complete, one sees Tathāgata.
Tathāgata has the Dharma eye, the wisdom eye, the celestial eye, the Buddha eye, and the fleshly eye. When the five eyes are together, one sees Tathāgata.
Gongdu's Commentary on the Five Spirits 🙏
Bodhidharma inherited the robe and lineage of the Buddhist school, expounding matters of religion. Thus he opens by saying "Thus Come One"—that is, the title of the Buddha.
| Five Spirits | Five Elements | Five Virtues | Governs | Pivot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moving Spirit | 💧Water | Wisdom | Distinction of wise and foolish | Water's pivot |
| Still Spirit | ⛰️Earth | Faith | Distinction of rich and poor | Earth's pivot |
| Emerging Spirit | 🌱Wood | Benevolence | Distinction of noble and base | Wood's pivot |
| Entering Spirit | ⚔️Metal | Righteousness | Distinction of longevity and early death | Metal's pivot |
| Exhaustive Spirit | 🔥Fire | Propriety | Distinction of gentle and firm | Fire's pivot |
The "moving" is movement with accomplishment—used to exercise wisdom. The "still" is stillness with steadfastness—used to exercise faith. The "emerging" is emergence with aspiration—used to exercise benevolence. The "entering" is entering with contentment—used to exercise righteousness. The "exhaustive" is ending with breakthrough—used to exercise propriety.
Its spirits are five: inwardly the metal, wood, water, fire, and earth; outwardly benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faith; in application they generate, overcome, transform, and regulate. Thus, each accords with its form and benefits its function. When they generate and transform each other, wealth, nobility, and long life result. When they fail to accord with form and impede function, when they clash and restrain each other, poverty,贱, early death, and calamity result.
Thus, a mere twenty-four characters encompassing myriad phenomena, with infinite transformation. If one has not penetrated the doctrines of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, one cannot perceive its marvelous function; if one does not grasp the principles of the River Chart and Luo Writing numerology, one cannot align with its standard.
Interpretation of the Five Eyes 👁️
| Five Eyes | Meaning | Governs |
|---|---|---|
| Dharma Eye | Uprightness | Sincerity and endurance, steadfast yet serene in heart |
| Wisdom Eye | Splendor | Acute intelligence and multifaceted, resourceful and keen |
| Celestial Eye | Concentration | Longevity and well-being, versed in past and present |
| Buddha Eye | Compassion | Benevolence and righteousness in use, morality by conviction |
| Fleshly Eye | Fullness | Deep-seated honesty and virtue, flourishing posterity |
Thus, by the completeness of the five spirits one sees Tathāgata, and by the wholeness of the five eyes one sees Tathāgata—this is the meaning of the perfected person. In this, Bodhidharma begins with Spirit, then speaks of the eyes, and again of measurement. Then he speaks of the five spirits and five eyes placed at the head of the chapter—the essential principles all concentrate upon this.
If the Auxiliary Corners and Celestial Court are wide and broad, honor is certain; inner hall must also be bright 🏛️
When the auxiliary corners and celestial court are wide and broad—this is the sort described as "great alligator entering the brain," the alias of the Vedic ridge bone. When large, it denotes overlord material; when smaller, prince, minister, or general; even smaller, a regional lord or city magistrate. Though this area by itself indicates nobility, the inner hall must still be yellow and luminous—this is when development flourishes. This is to review the physical structure in conjunction with the complexion.
When the Frontier and Relay Stations are open and distinct, literary accomplishments manifest; honor and mother’s fortune are correspondingly governed here 🚉
When the frontier fortress and post-station areas are open and distinct, this inherently belongs to the initial foundation of advancing office rank, beginning at age seventeen and concluding at age twenty-four from this first stage. However, the parents are also activated in this region, often evidenced by mourning attire around such achievement milestones. When the post-station portion is open from either a connecting bridge line or a ridge mark, this is favorable outward, while internally indicating mourning obligations among kin.
When eyebrows are clear and sweep up to the temples, warlord success is already achieved; now look upon dull eyes with grave peril ⚔️
Eyebrows that are clear and sweep into the hair at the temples feature prominently in the era-roster of warlords who dispatch the divisions splitting heaven and earth from thrones. Chu by severity or overlord there of destiny upon baser governance split the south of Qing's glorious brigades is exactly this physiognomic stamp.
Yet when the gaze is dull and wan one may surge, but one cannot navigate safely; despite achievement, neither is the case marked full-security nobility.
When tail-of-brow twin lines pierce through the wanton portals, mistress and consorts quarrel day turn into never-lasting feuds 💢
Note that this statistic twin line variety extends down, slitting the introit pointed streak terminating between portal angles of ornament—slant beneath obliquity unless unbroken arrow vertical ascent in woman's courting grooves presses upward as lines to intersect wrongness. I recall cases where each term issue stems fissures skewing such veins within that cause hostile stirs amongst brothers wily children yet stymied final yields among lousy bed posterity had roistered to disturb order’s hearth domestic duty a rule rather matched from common culture of each tribe age and chronic civil straits, the interplay among gossiping marriage-room opposition female cohorts are these twin ribs of rumor spilling, wives of older-or-younger son loops fused thereby?
Deep frown lines of gateways to jealousy incline the silk-merchant strips, the phoenix nest already built: diligence occupies mother queen marital charge dominates palace, valua council is hers 🏠
Lines grim ascending fierce anger fields the young senior with woman might become aidful worth — truly goldmate apt spouse fit budget against first wife authority beyond clan bridal gifts attached high collateral fortune found instead whose firsts bar family compounding says the veteran sealed seal so strong our core consensus surely nothing unproved old school and reliable within testing faithful signs.
A pristine bright between-one-house corridors of cloud brows marked no mortal lock: Official blue pass scroll record within stride expected by sunset twenty-and-something season of ambition, give days visible through near gain 🎓
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According to the heaven granary as the front fortune, chaff is the pale withered color, indicating internal worries among relatives and self-destructive ruin.
Clear brows and bright eyes bring nobility, though they may seem artificially delicate. Goose-back plump cheeks bring wealth, though they may appear as dead flesh with corpse-like gait 🦢
Clarity and delicacy must penetrate both within and without. Where clarity is thin, it instead indicates early death; where clarity is diffuse, it instead indicates lowliness. Hence there are cases of seeming clarity that is not true clarity, and clarity mingled with diffuseness and thinness—counterfeits confounding the genuine.
Where there is plump fullness with dead flesh, the vital energy and blood do not circulate; corpse-like gait means stiffness without supple movement. Both are signs of poverty and lowliness, with desolate and lonely晚年.
The司空 with yellow containing hidden black: wealth and litigation together. The tiger-ear whitened and flushed with red: gain and alarm alike ⚖️
The司空 is the palace of office and emolument; yellow signifies profit, black signifies official disputes and imprisonment. Both white and red at the tiger-ear indicate illness and calamity, and some signify debauchery leading to venereal disaster—what benefit is there in that?
At twenty, if the crown of flesh is overgrown, he shall surely match Yan Hui. At fifty, if the sleeping-silkworm flesh rises, it is difficult to emulate Shang Qu ⏳
If one grows fat at twenty, one will not pass thirty-two. If the sleeping silkworm rises at fifty, it means late and few offspring. If it rises high to expose silkworm-like flesh, it indicates solitary punishment, or daughters without sons. If there is the affliction of dampness rising upward, then children may be established—two or three.
When walking, if he often opens his heart with elation, his harsh temperament makes it hard to share joy with him. When parting, if he turns back three times, his suspicious nature makes it hard to share sorrow with him 🤝
Opening the heart with elation carries an arrogant air—holding to superiority and relying on power to bully others. Hence Laozi said: "No fault is greater than speaking of others' shortcomings and holding to one's own strengths." Therefore one cannot share wealth and honor with such a person.
Turning back with hesitation and suspicion indicates wavering will, unsettled mind, and instability—therefore one cannot share hardship with him. He knows only profit and not righteousness.
If the lust gate is sunken with lines rushing through it, the wife will surely be lost—two or three times. If the sleeping silkworm is thick and lustrous, sons will surely number five or six 👨👩👧👦
The lust gate and fishtail are the exclusive region for wives and concubines. The ancient method holds that "one line means one wife." I have examined that when the lust gate turns upward, the wife is strong and virtuous without punishment against her, and even lines are favorable; when the lust gate is level and rushing, the wife's fate is punished and two marriages occur; when the lust gate turns downward, heavier punishment leads to three marriages. When the sleeping silkworm is level and moist, it indicates flourishing offspring, with one child per smooth line.
If one's expression changes colors repeatedly when meeting people, it indicates cunning and deceit. Not that he is overly suspicious, nor that he is cowardly. If after hearing speech to its end one still does not understand, it indicates illness and dissipation. He must be stupid and dull, and also treacherous and greedy 🎭
A person whose expression changes frequently has an unstable will and unsettled mind, indicating treachery and cunning with many schemes—weak strength bearing heavy burdens, small ambitions plotting great matters. Hence it is said he is neither suspicious nor cowardly, but merely harsh and venomous.
When speech is heard to its end without comprehension, the person suffers from a neurological disorder of the brain, and it also indicates greed rather than stupidity. Additionally, there are those who are distracted by desires for pleasure, fame, and profit.
A red point on the nose tip invading the longevity region requires guarding against Vulcan's fire. Several blue marks on the lips entering the mouth require caution against the River Earl 🔥🌊
A red point on the nose tip and guarding against fire, blue marks on the lips and guarding against drowning—both are borne out.
If the nose tip is yellow-bright and透 to heaven, he shall surely succeed in civil examinations. If the印堂 is ruddy and moist reflecting onto the brows, he shall surely surpass in rank and emolument ✨
When yellow light from the nose tip reaches the heaven court, profit and wealth advance first, then fame and rank follow. The印堂 showing ruddy and moist is a sign of ruin—this must be an error for the character "purple." Only when the印堂 is purple-moist does it advance fame, emolument, and joys of progeny.
With spirit clear, energy fresh, and complexion moist, he rises higher even in perilous places. With spirit usurped, energy dim, and complexion cloudy, even favorable situations turn more dangerous 🌤️
These speak of both affirmative and negative aspects. When spirit is clear and energy fresh, even facing peril there is no obstruction—this is the opportunity for advancement, with moisture and luster always auspicious. Spirit usurped means decline without constancy; energy dim means obscurity without clarity. In difficulty there is no obstruction yet, but if prosperity反而 comes, extraordinary calamity will occur.
A broken boat with favorable wind can still sail the seas. True jade not yet freed from stone vainly buries itself in the mountain ⛵
When the physical form is good but the complexion is stagnant, it is like jade not yet freed from stone—still awaiting its time. When the physical form is weak but the complexion is good, transient success may occur. Hence the saying that a broken boat with a favorable wind can sail the seas without harm.
One whose form resembles a monk or Taoist will have no sons. One whose appearance resembles a deity's image will have daughters 🙏
The monk-Taoist form has drooping brows and eyes with plump tenderness. The deity's image refers to dignity and awe.
A face like peach blossom indicates lewdness and early death. A face like orange peel indicates punishment and few sons 🌸
Peach blossom and orange peel are both detailed in the preceding Máyī chapter.
When speaking to a person but the eyes do not face him, the mind is suspicious and the will is one-pointed—ultimately not good acquaintance. When the mouth approaches food rather than food approaching the mouth, nature is greedy and the family ruined—he is necessarily a useless sort 🗣️
When speaking to a person but the eyes do not meet him, it indicates suspicion of this and conjecture of that, and also indicates the body being here while the mind is elsewhere. Hence his words carry no sincerity and disregard trustworthiness—all driven by selfish desires.
Food not approaching the mouth marks the lower stupid class, also indicating self-serving idleness.
One with shrewd eyes passes through wealth—not accumulating it yet never lacking. One with protruding eyes hoards wealth—though abundant, misfortune invades 💡
A person with shrewd eyes is intelligent and transcendent, pure and self-respecting, loving reputation; therefore he does not amass wealth, as his ambitions lie elsewhere. Yet he is never in want, having foresight in all matters, with great aspirations and far-reaching plans—this is the type of the renowned scholar.
One with protruding eyes is harsh in building his estate, treasuring wealth as life itself everywhere; hence he incurs conflict and breeds enemies, and invites secret harm through covetousness. This is the pattern of teeth burning one's own body.
The left lust gate with yellow containing hidden black: gaining a wife's wealth but losing one's life. The right fishtail with white containing hidden red: losing concubines and servants and being dismissed from office 💀
The lust gate and fishtail are the exclusive region for wives and concubines. Yellow energy can bring a wife's wealth; black energy can damage the wife's palace. White energy indicates weeping among the wife's family; red energy brings disputes and calamities due to wives and concubines, or calamities and vile diseases from visiting prostitutes. The claims of losing life and being dismissed from office do not hold true.
Great nobility with clear strangeness often brings solitary crane without sons. Great wealth with round fullness, like a fat pig, brings no good end 🏔️
This states that every pattern has its weakness—just as heaven is incomplete in the northwest and earth in the southeast. Great nobility may have many wives and concubines yet still lack sons and daughters: this means their pattern is clear, strange, and precipitous, receiving the utmost clarity of heaven and earth, which is what creation begrudges—hence the defect in offspring; in chaotic times, they indulge desires and self-destruct, which is an error of human affairs. Great wealth with much land and property may still meet no good end: this refers to triangular eyes with red threads invading the black pupil, hence miserly greed and tyranny ending in violent death.
He whose heels do not touch the ground, with a thin blue complexion, will surely meet ruin. He who draws back his head when speaking, with unsteady gaze, will ultimately meet punishment and calamity ⚠️
Heels not touching the ground is not taboo for wood and fire types—wood is naturally buoyant and fire naturally rises. Other types—metal, water, earth—are all taboo. If such a person反而 prospers, death's hour has arrived.
One who draws back his head in speaking is mediocre and stupid. One with unsteady gaze is poor and lowly.
Iron face and metallic voice: fame enduring ten thousand ages. Moving clouds and flowing water: wealth spanning all fields 🏆
Iron face and metallic voice both mark great political figures of noble rank. Moving clouds and flowing water speak of vivacity and elegance, indicating pure reputation in one's enterprise.
A woman values virtue—not seductive, not lewd, not mannish, not hasty. A child is easy to rear with sufficient bone, sufficient flesh, sufficient voice, sufficient spirit 👩
The word "seductive" refers to a coquettish air, "lewd" to wanton abandon, "mannish" to assertive posture and voice, "hasty" to rashness and impatience. These are all taboos for the female pattern; hence women value virtue over appearance.
For children, plenitude and density of vital energy qualify as proper.
Round eyes and high cheekbones: the physiognomy of Shang Yang. Hanging nose and soft whiskers: the pattern of Deng Tong ⚖️
Round eyes indicate violent death; high cheekbones indicate great authority. Often seen in extraordinary talents and great names alike—Pang Jinghou likewise matched this pattern.
A hanging nose means downward droop harming water; soft whiskers mean the rest is of no consequence. As earth conquers water, it is inauspicious.
Ambitious heart and boastful speech with sunken mountain root: ultimately no achievement. Soft heart and generous measure with full nose-tip: lifelong wealth and plenty ⛰️
A sunken mountain root means the constitution's foundation is thin; a full Saturn star means great prosperity in wealth. These are both valid principles.
Brows pressing on eyes, cheeks invading cheekbones: the wife seizes and loses authority. Left lust-gate dark, right brow high: the concubine usurps the wife's position 👁️
Brows pressing on eyes indicate nobility and authority, with the wife also strong and authoritative. Cheeks invading cheekbones speaks of the lower revolting against the upper. Women with large cheekbones often have talent and intelligence and exercise the husband's authority—no seizure is even needed.
A dark left lust gate means the wife is not flourishing. A high right brow indicates the mother is punished; hence uneven brows indicate brothers from different mothers. The character "brow" may be an error for "shoulder."
Walking or sitting with bowed head and trembling feet: if not treacherous, then solitary. Speaking with an open mouth yet not lifting the voice: if not poor, then early death 🚶
One who walks or sits with bowed head is destined for early death, and also indicates poverty and hardship. Trembling feet indicate lasciviousness and many successes and failures. If bowing the head and trembling feet are combined, talent is偏 with evil nature—this fits the principle; treachery and solitude are less fitting.
An open mouth without lifted voice means the breath is short; poverty and early death both fit appropriately. This follows the method of seeking wholeness in the voice.
Horizontal lines on the left forehead: one line adds one decade, two lines add two decades, three lines extend life to a hundred years. Blue energy on the right forehead: in one month gains a grandson, in two months gains a nephew, in three months ears grow obedient 📏
Lines on the left forehead indicate internal turmoil among brothers, wives, and concubines, leading to death from grief. Lines on the right forehead indicate sorrow unto death over unworthy children. The claim of extended longevity is not quite valid. Or is it the mutation of heaven's way? Or the continuation lines of the法令?
Blue energy on the right cheekbone indicates harm to uncles, aunts, and sister's kin. The claim of gaining grandsons and nephews is also not valid.
Mourning garments are judged by the whiteness's depth or pallor, yet one does not know that bluish floatation at the mouth corners appears immediately. Illness and calamity are judged by the mountain root's blue-black as death or life, yet one does not know that when spirit escapes the eyes, death is certain ⚕️
I have often seen angular forehead and sun-moon angles turn blue-black, corresponding to mourning garments, to be seen within the preceding ninety days. Again I have seen both cheekbones flushed red, corresponding to mourning garments, to be seen within the previous one hundred and eighty days. Again I have seen the black warrior's bluish dust-spots, corresponding to mourning garments, to be seen within the preceding year. Hence judging with whiteness as the exclusive criterion is arrantly wrong.
Blue-black at the mountain root indicates illness and calamity—not yet to death. When spirit escapes the eyes, certainly death's calamity follows.
Gongdu Critique of Chapter Three 📝
Gongdu observes: I have examined Dharmatrāta's methods—all established upon important principles of adherence. Though the seasons and climates change, their confirmations still frequently appear. Now observing his third chapter's methods, the Máyī's "Stone Chamber Rhapsody" and "Golden Lock and Silver Key"—those three chapters—all develop from this section and supplement what was then incomplete, employing the principle of variation.
For instance, peach blossom indicates lewd chaos, orange peel indicates punishment and injury, as well as spirit, vitality, temperament, demeanor, and voice—all originate from this.
This section has some erroneous characters, which I have already annotated: such as "purple" mistakenly written as "red" color, and "shoulder" mistakenly written as "brow."
This section has some non-validations: the claim of losing one's life at the lust gate is excessive, the claim of cheek lines prolonging life is reversed, the claim of cheekbone energy bringing celebration is invalid.
This section's most validated and citable principles: bluish floatation for mourning garments, spirit-escape for death, solitary-crane for punishment and harm of kindred, spirit-variation for cunning. Other excellences abound—text is brief while meaning is deep; readers must not remain ignorant.
According to the system, the body is the external appearance, and the spirit (Shen) is the root of one's destiny. Therefore, doubts afflicting the body merely harm the spirit and damage the brain, leading to reduced appetite and mental confusion; at this point, it has reached its limit. Only a calamity of death will be fulfilled when doubts afflict the spirit.
I have examined what is meant by "doubts afflicting the spirit": when a person is in an extremely dangerous situation and suffers a tremendous blow. The one who deals this blow may be a most intimate and beloved person, or one to whom I have shown great favor, or a close relative or good friend bound by mutual interests. Or resentment arises over fame, wealth, beauty, jewels, playthings, or daily necessities, bringing about dangerous schemes and betrayal. Those who were formerly most intimate and beloved, deeply favored and closely acquainted, close relatives and good friends, are transformed in an instant into enemies. Add to this the covert schemes of the hand, the fraud of power, where right and wrong cannot be clarified, justice cannot prevail, grievances cannot be avenged, and righteousness cannot be upheld. The doubt then stagnates and accumulates in the spirit, unable to be spoken aloud or revealed in appearance; it is borne in silence with shame, never forgotten whether sitting or lying down. When the body is doubtful, the mind becomes disordered; when the mind is doubtful, wisdom is clouded. It harms the brain and wounds the spirit, causing one to forget one's form and agitate the soul. When it reaches this point of doubting the spirit, death is certain and unalterable.
Moreover, my book respects factual reality and does not abandon substance for ornament through mere rhetoric. I have specially noted the original text on the three doubts and appended corrections, awaiting judgment by those of higher discernment in the future.