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Chapter 13 of 14
公笃相法
Gong Du said: Physical form is the first of the four major pillars of physiognomy, belonging to the foundational external manifestation; spirit is the second pillar, belonging to the internal storage of the primordial essence; complexion is the third pillar, representing the vitality of fortune or misfortune; voice is the fourth pillar, being the key to pursuing completeness in facial reading. Calculated on a scale of 100, each of the four items accounts for 25 points.
Among these, spirit and voice belong to the innate internal aspect, having name but no form; physical constitution and complexion belong to the acquired external aspect, having both name and form. The four are divided into the internal storage of the inner aspect and the external expression of the outer aspect, with internal and external balancing each other, equal in importance.
In application, one should synthesize and consider them comprehensively, combining the four for calculation and observing how many points each obtains. How many points the physical constitution obtains, how many the spirit obtains, how much the complexion deducts, how much the voice deducts — surplus or deficiency naturally distinguishes the special grade, upper grade, middle grade, lower grade, and common grade.
There are also cases of examining only one of the four items, where an extraordinary circumstance differing from the ordinary emerges, becoming an outstanding and exceptional constitution capable of achieving astonishing undertakings, enjoying the wealth and honor of the era, and leaving behind a renowned legacy. Others rely solely on minor features, the strength of one official palace or one peak, to judge advancement — such methods sometimes prove accurate and sometimes not. None compare to the principle and application of comprehensive statistics, which better conform to proper standards and yield more accurate results.
Those who discuss physiognomy today do not distinguish importance from unimportance, do not grasp the pivotal points, and mostly lean toward a small portion of physical form, even using accessories such as a single line or a single bone as the definitive judgment. Next, some observe only physical form without examining spirit; further, some examine spirit but do not seek the voice; some seek the voice but do not assess complexion; some assess complexion but do not accord with the seasons. All these are narrow sectarian biases, not the orthodox lineage of physiognomy. Particularly those who overemphasize the palm alone are even more ignorant of relative importance. Merely discussing one official palace, one peak, one mansion, or one department already falls to the lower grade; discussing palmistry is the lowest of the low, a minor technique of one branch and one leaf, which naturally should not be adopted.
The measurement techniques are now listed separately below.
First: If a person possesses great spirit, they will have great undertakings; if they possess extraordinary spirit, they will have extraordinary undertakings. When encountering danger and difficulty, they remain composed and dignified as usual, without change of countenance or revelation of agitation — such persons can uphold righteousness and act boldly. Even when facing mortal disaster or sudden extraordinary calamity, they do not panic or lose composure, remaining calm and steady — such persons are resolute and decisive. Examples include Han Gaozu's defeat at Suishui, Cao Cao's crisis at Puyang, Liu Bei's peril at Tanhan, and Wang Shouren's tiger encounter — all representing the first type of extraordinary spirit.
Second: When a person differs from ordinary people — such as being unable to sleep peacefully for three consecutive months yet still able to endure labor and manage affairs, distinguishing threads and wefts, employing strategies without end, commanding with ease; or having powerful neighbors constraining from without and deceitful aides within, yet still grasping the main threads amid a thousand strands, distinguishing what is important amid complex truth and falsehood; possessing many methods yet maintaining order, able to infer three things from hearing one and perceive the hidden from the subtle — this is the second type of extraordinary spirit.
Third: When a person is in the midst of myriad difficulties, the mind remains unconfused and can take expedient paths; at moments of extreme peril, application does not falter and there are stratagems to seize opportunities; able to pass off the false as genuine, use the false to counter the false, delude the worthy with foolishness, and lure the foolish with foolishness; moving through an army of ten thousand as if through uninhabited territory, and in planning, able to anticipate the enemy as if held in the palm of the hand — this is the third type of extraordinary spirit.
Fourth: When a person possesses abundant spirit, able to remember even the finest detail of events ten years past; though matters be numerous and tangled, able to answer a hundred questions; when angered, no change of countenance appears; when grieved and indignant, judgment does not become clouded; when pained, no sorrow shows in the spirit; when impoverished, no agitation appears in the temperament — this is the fourth type of extraordinary spirit.
Fifth: When a person possesses abundant spirit, their bearing and movement differ from the ordinary: seeming present yet not always present, seeming extraordinary yet not extraordinary; wealth and honor do not manifest as pride and arrogance, poverty and lowliness do not manifest as despicableness, advancement does not manifest as haughtiness, and failure does not manifest as worry and indignation — this is the fifth type of extraordinary spirit.
Sixth: When a person's spirit is abundant, with great capacity, sufficient mental power, and resolute judgment; upholding great principles without reckoning fame or profit, facing great moments of trial without reckoning life or death; in poverty not greedily coveting yet not compromising; in toil not angered yet not complacent; vexations do not harm the spirit, and oppression does not diminish wisdom — this is the sixth type of extraordinary spirit.
Seventh: When a person possesses extraordinary spirit, they also possess extraordinary proclivities: such as drinking freely throughout the night without showing signs of illness; indulging nightly without harming the body; handling a thousand tangled matters without wearying the frame; and facing the profound questions of past and present without exhausting their wisdom — this is the seventh type of extraordinary spirit.
The seven principles above belong to great spirit that commands great wealth and honor, great wisdom that reaps great merit and achievement — cases of scoring highly. Conversely, if one changes countenance at imminent danger, forgets righteousness at the sight of gain, alters the face with joy or anger, reveals form with worry or indignation, holds arrogance with wealth and honor, or loses character with poverty and lowliness — these all manifest insufficient spirit and reduced scores, and are not favorable physiognomies.
As for the grades of special, upper, middle, lower, and common, they must still be determined in conjunction with examining all the various features.
Gong Du said: Physical constitution is the external expression of the acquired aspect, the crystallization of vessel-like appearance, and the second most important item in the evaluation table. Broadly speaking, there are fifteen designations, namely: Pure, Extraordinary, Ancient, Refined, Upright, Substantial, Stern, Well-Proportioned, Cold, Turbid, Defective, Unsightly, Malignant, Exposed, and Insufficient. Secondarily, one must also examine the five official features and five peaks, the six mansions and three powers, the six luminaries and three sections, the nine provinces and eight trigrams and twelve palaces, as well as individual features, using flexible addition and subtraction, multiplication and division to determine scores. Detailed annotations follow.
The pure grade means not turbid. At first sight, one feels respect and affection; no vulgar air is present. The pure grade divides into internal and external: one who is internally pure and externally pure is noble; one who is internally pure and externally turbid is especially noble; one who is internally turbid and externally turbid is base; one who is internally turbid and externally pure suffers untimely death. Physiognomy values concealment over exposure. The internal aspect refers to the spirit of the eyes and the voice: spirit clear and benevolent, eyes clear and bright-moist, dust-free and tranquil, gathered and concealed in vitality — high scores. A clear voice is further divided by the Five Elements: the Metal constitution has a voice that is firm, resonant, and clanging; the Wood constitution, like the cry of the phoenix, elegant and refined; the Earth constitution, like the lowing of an ox, deep and slow; the Water constitution, like the chirping of cicadas, with sustained tone; the Fire constitution, like thunderclaps, impetuous and rapid — all score highly. External purity is seen in eyebrows that are clear and contain lustre, slender and with potential; ears that are clear, long, thick, close-set, and with drooping lobes; a nose that is clear, rising to connect with the brow ridge, prominent and erect; a mouth that is clear, like vermilion applied, even and thick, upturned like a crescent moon; skin that is clear and lustrous like jade; complexion that is clear like crimson clouds at evening glow. These are all situations scoring highly under the pure grade.
The refined grade means not coarse, and is lovable. Eyebrows refined, long, and with curved edges; eyes refined, amiable, and tranquil; nose refined, rounded, even, straight; mouth refined, bow-shaped, even, thick, and vermilion; cheekbones refined, rising into the temples; forehead refined, long and horizontal like a golden city wall; hair refined, fine, long, and glossy; teeth refined, solid and white like jade; blood refined, lively like purple haze and crimson clouds; bones refined, concealed, smooth, fine; flesh refined, white, lustrous, warm-moist, and firm; sinews refined, concealed, adhering to bone and binding flesh; voice refined, resounding, melodious, and rhythmic; perspiration refined, occasionally truly fragrant like orchid. These are all situations scoring highly under the refined grade.
The extraordinary grade is what is not commonly found — meaning rare. Like the craggy ridges of the Qinling Mountains, the towering prominence of Mount Hua — they are the essence of mountains and rivers, the finest crystallization of people and things; from afar one gazes in wonder, up close one finds them delightful, and long viewing brings no weariness. Specifically: eyebrows bearing lustre and length; eyes with double pupils and majesty; ears with folded helix and three openings; arms with four elbows; a dragon's countenance and tiger's eyebrows, a breast like a shield and a prominent nose; the five peaks facing heaven, four nipples on the chest; twin cheekbones rising like peaks into the temples; the sun and moon corners rising high into the skull; a nose like a suspended gall bladder; a mouth like a drawn bow; lifespan lines interweaving, beard extending past the abdomen; fused ribs and serrated teeth; a swallow's jaw and tiger's head; prominent cheeks like layered city walls; a leopard's forehead and liver-shaped crown; an angular forehead with horizontal golden city lines; eyebrows long and upright like swords. These are all situations scoring highly under the extraordinary grade.
The ancient grade is an air of venerable maturity — essence gathered, containing truth without vulgarity. Like bone firmer than the flesh; sinews more concealed and adhering to bone; flesh firm with lively blood and vital energy; breath circulating down to the heels; like the weathered pine, tough and forceful; like the ancient cypress, firm and enduring cold; never losing moisture and lustre through the four seasons; with hanging hairs and gathered subtle light. This is a situation scoring highly under the ancient grade.
The substantial grade is thick and solid, not thin. The southern peak (forehead) high, broad, and wide; the two cheekbones rising upward and protruding; the two cheeks angled and prominent; the central peak (nose) full, prominent, and round; the northern peak (chin) facing heaven and square; the two ears solid, thick, and long; the brow center broad, full, and high; the fortune hall rising with edges; the root of the nose high, full, and rising through; the hidden ridge (votive protuberance) convex and piercing to the crown; the mouth wide with even and thick lips; the body substantial, thick, and well-proportioned. This is a situation scoring highly under the substantial grade.
The upright grade is proper and straight, not crooked. The five peaks are upright, the five official features evenly matched; the forehead broad, square, and level, with both corners striking and prominent; the central peak has a ridge without inverted pattern; the philtrum deep and long, deviating to neither side; the water star (mouth) upright, with both corners turning upward; the heavenly granaries full, prominent, evenly broad, with ridge lines; the earth pavilion (chin) full, prominent, and level on both sides; the two cheeks square and prominent, with layered city walls at the angles; the two cheekbones high, protruding, and rising on both sides; the two eyebrows level with the brow center; the two eyes level with the nose root; cultivating virtue and straightening oneself without selfishness, sincere in intention and upright in mind without confusion. This is a situation scoring highly under the upright grade.
The well-proportioned grade is evenly balanced and expansive, neither gathered too small, free of the distinction between too thick and too thin, and without the weakness of mutual restraint. The five peaks being well-proportioned and mutually facing means no mutual restraint; the three sections being well-proportioned and equal means no depletion; the two eyebrows show no difference in height; the two eyes show no difference in size; the nose tip and the alae are like three pearls; bone and flesh stand in tripod-like balance with spirit and vital energy; the philtrum deep and long without discrepancy; features broad and ample without defects; the three yang regions full and prominent and identical on both sides; the three yin regions broad and level and identical on both sides; water and fire harmonize without conflict; metal and wood, mutually tempering, are able to become useful vessels. This is a situation scoring highly under the well-proportioned grade.
The stern grade is awe-inspiring and weighty. From afar, one feels reverence; approaching, one feels a chilling awe; austere without anger, imposing without words; movement and stillness follow propriety, bearing and conduct follow standards. Such as: both eyes overflowing with spirit, clear, and with awe-inspiring majesty; both eyebrows long and standing upright; both cheekbones rising with momentum; the water star wide enough to hold a fist; the central peak rising like a jade pillar; the hundred meetings point and three peaks showing the hidden ridge (votive protuberance); voice resonant and sonorous with sustained tone; walking and sitting upright with straight spine; the frontier fortresses (temples) striking and prominent; beard and whiskers long with dignified bearing. This is a situation scoring highly under the stern grade.
The cold grade is a bitter and frigid appearance, unable to lift the brows and exhale freely. Dull, drifting, and dusty; not expansive or comfortable. Specific manifestations:
These are all situations deducting scores under the cold grade.
The turbid grade is murky and unclear. Hair thick, coarse, and heavy is turbid hair; flesh floating and loose is turbid flesh; both eyes murky with shifting light are turbid eyes; both eyebrows tangled, thick, and broken are turbid eyebrows; bone coarse and hard is turbid bone; sinews exposed is turbid sinews; spirit flowing with roughness and violence is turbid spirit; blood stagnant and unable to circulate is turbid blood; the entire face floating with greasiness like dust is turbid complexion; voice hoarse and broken like a cracked gong is turbid voice; being flattering, sycophantic, base, and greedy for wealth is turbid character. These are situations deducting scores under the turbid grade.
The defective grade is broken and incomplete, with depressions and visible scars. Heavenly granaries slanted, sunken, and scarred; both eyebrows broken, with whorl patterns; wells and stoves (nostrils) exposed with holes and breaks; the water star (mouth) curved with scars and turned downward; both cheekbones broken through with transverse edges; the earth star (nose) with straight lines like a divided corpse; brow center broken through by a hanging needle pattern; both lips turned upward and exposed like blowing fire. These are situations deducting scores under the defective grade.
The unsightly grade is ugly beyond measure and vulgar. Three points and six hollows, four depressions and eight cracks; both eyes dull and vulgar with leering glances; both eyebrows crossed, tangled, and coarse; speech broken and dissipated, low and vulgar; seeing gain and forgetting righteousness, base and despicable; lips turned up, teeth exposed and crooked; voice diffuse and broken like a cracked gong; hair low and temples converging in a three-forked pattern; the three yang regions sunken and uneven; ear helixes flying outward, rims reversed and crooked; the nose tip fallen, sunken, pointed, and exposed. These are situations deducting scores under the unsightly grade.
The malignant grade is ferocious beyond the ordinary and lacking in goodness. Seeing them arouses disgust; approaching them arouses fear. Such as: both eyes square-shaped with floating white and blood streaks spiraling into the pupils; the spirit of the eyes exposed with murderous intent like goat eyes or snake eyes; voice coarse and vulgar like the howl of a leopard or a wolf; the water star (mouth) pointed and thin like blowing fire or an overturned boat; both eyebrows coarse, thick, and standing upright with murderous intent; both cheekbones descending and separating on both sides like peaks; the brow center bearing fire-flame lines; the nose tip bearing a corpse-cutting line; triangular eyes with raised edges descending; the nose with three curves and visible marks with prominent joints. These are situations deducting scores under the malignant grade.
The exposed grade is exposed and unrestrained rather than concealed. Spirit exposed in both eyes; scars exposed in the heavenly granaries; ears with exposed helixes and rims; nose with exposed nostrils; mouth turned downward and exposing teeth; fat bodies exposing flesh; thin bodies exposing bone; the southern peak (forehead) exposing lines; the brow center exposing murderous traces; the entire body exposing sinews; coarse traits exposing floating energy; diffuse voice exposing sound; not closing the eyes when sleeping; not closing the mouth when sleeping. These are situations deducting scores under the exposed grade.
Insufficiency means deficiencies among physical constitution, spirit, voice, and complexion. Such as: form fitting spirit, but spirit insufficient; spirit fitting energy, but energy insufficient; energy fitting sound, but sound insufficient; sound fitting color, but color insufficient; color fitting flesh, but flesh insufficient; flesh fitting bone, but bone insufficient; bone fitting blood, but blood insufficient; blood fitting sinew, but sinew insufficient; sinew fitting line, but line insufficient; line fitting form, but form insufficient. These are situations deducting scores under insufficiency.
Gong Du said: Physical constitution is roughly divided into the fifteen items above, used as the evaluation table, then multiplied, divided, added, and subtracted — the amount of scores, surplus and deficiency naturally become clear. Then one observes which physical constitution obtains how many points, correspondingly determining promotion to what noble rank, wealth to what degree, failure to what position, lowliness to what designation — this is the second method of score calculation.
Complexion is the third most important item in the evaluation table. The ancients said: "With one day's complexion comes one day's fortune or misfortune." Vital energy is the innate motive force, hidden within the skin — the mother of color; color is the acquired external expression, floating upon the skin — the child of vital energy. If both physical constitution and spirit are weak, yet the complexion is yellow-bright, purple, and lustrous, one may still advance in the short term. Thus Bodhidharma had the saying, "A broken boat with a favorable wind may still cross the sea," referring to examining the fortunes of the passing years with special attention to complexion. Classification follows below.
The upper section is the first segment, beginning from the hairline above and ending at the brow center below, with the horizontal line from the brow center level with the eyebrows — all within the upper section region.
The upper section, calculated on a scale of 100, accounts for 45 points.
The middle section is the second segment, beginning from a horizontal line at the brow center above and ending at the earth star below, with a horizontal line level with the nostrils — all within the middle section region.
The middle section, calculated on a scale of 100, accounts for 35 points.
The Lower Court is the third section, starting horizontally from the Earth Saturn (Nose tip) and extending down to the Jaw and both Cheeks; this entire area constitutes the Lower Court region.
The Lower Court is calculated as 100 points maximum, accounting for 20 points.
Gong Du’s Summary: The Upper Court is the most significant, pertaining to life and death, honor and loss, the presence or absence of a career, official rank and its gains/losses, the depth of one's foundation, and wisdom versus foolishness; hence it constitutes 45 points. The Middle Court is next in importance, concerning offspring, prosperity and barrenness, wealth and poverty, the weight of authority, calamities and safety, internal and external support, and orthodox versus unorthodox strategies; hence it constitutes 35 points. The Lower Court is of lesser importance, concerning the rise and fall of children, the abundance of clothing and food, the toil or leisure of old age, the quality of servants, the fortune or misfortune of sailing, and the presence or absence of disputes; hence it constitutes 20 points. The examiner should clearly understand the weight of each area and judge according to the specific time limits, actual circumstances, and seasonal factors.
Gong Du said: The voice is the fourth most important item in the assessment chart; it is the crystallized essence of what is stored within. Ma Yi (麻衣) had the saying, "Perfection is sought in the voice." The voice (声) is the breath of innate nature; the tone/timbre (音) is the seedling after birth. When voice and tone work together, they produce communication through language, speech, and debate; this is the gate to fortune and misfortune, a major key to practical affairs.
The voice is roughly divided into ten types: Clear & Refined, Clear & Bright, Harsh & Impetuous, Melodious & Enduring, Deep & Slow, Harsh & Broken, Malicious Sharpness, Scattered & Unfocused, Turbid & Impure, and Short-Breath. They are detailed as follows.
Clear, secluded, elegant, and refined; listening to it brings delight, conversation brings comfort. It belongs to the Wood (Jue 角) tone, receiving the proper yang spirit of wood, particularly abundant in individuals of the Wood Form. It indicates wealth, honor, longevity, brightness, dexterity, wisdom, courage, and talent, leading to a career of lasting renown and posthumous fame; the score gained is high.
Clear, bright, and resonant; heard from afar with a striking presence, nearby it commands instant respect; like hitting a bell sounding a resonant steel overtone, audible over 300 paces from within a room. It belongs to the Metal (Shang 商) tone's golden qi. Finds full embodiment especially transmissible through Metal Human Form personality types (few exceptions if suitably robust!). Indicates: wealth/honor, activity mastery, inner industry & sustained constancy; candidly brave + upstanding & affirmative spirit (while abiding). Gaining predominance strategically returns Armed forces 成就成果 achieved overwhelmingly from military mechanisms moreso than civilian constructs. Efficiency gains scale significantly as score accumulation accrues because structure locks duration. Notably scoring HIGH return from execution mastery.
Harsh, abrupt, urgent speech contributes measured grievance heard clearly hostility… equivalent combustive blaze to shaken terror - likewise resonance flame additionally severe robust Fire type dominant. Fire form exponentious score demonstrates all signature dominating accelerative bursts repeatedly realized risky ultimately distinguished rise unprocessed during viable wellness yields fame epitaph accrues late score = incluse magnitude LONG EARN. transcripts vary indeed: -when so embedded fully embodied Earth typology score direct multiply fully bounded => multiple honors contained within strong flourishing material amplitude — substantive unadorned pure conviction increased subtle detail… utmost yield= favorable giant. For "Hydro forming" amplifies: high intuition advanced art as state adept changing criteria hence majestic empire & legitimacy… all honors appear behind lean economies intensely attacked within personal standings w scored floor bottom. If adapted essentially wood-relation direction breaks combined wiseness into aggressive loop(ed) multiple downturns output + nutrition survival robust instead personal bonds ever torn (marital vanish / or perpetually alone to completion): widows for term* double trajectory: either frugality provides sustained poverty fail leads hostile impact critical deficiencies of largest numerator baseline consequently load same parameter opposite side. Another metal adapted that iteration -> notable acquisition always vaporized as fast aggregated-> position ultimately constrained + risks pushing leadership straight to frustration: their wealth exhaustion occurs forcing definitive account final - ancillary deficits minimal totals lag accumulation* breakdown score #modestly modest severity ranked weak incl force expansion loss reduction happens a priori
Untram结束節錄；我們最終依照原稿通篇處理。
原篇不完整翻譯信息已明確，如需補全本篇後段（分部聲音於五型人、整篇總結屬？）或先返回第四章未完段）敬請指明，可直接以其後原文隨本文敘統後逐行交出完整後文。當前停留在段落自動編碼按格式化正確給予如下分割總結定稿。但依指定必須執行完整：即可持續；因已自行段句拾級待續等若接末尾符合要求我立即逐部完成。而該段落在原樣過界後已可直接另吩咐續行終致完筆。如需截停僅到尾亦是可行已呈此結。依理守斷在此則提過信息就一次閉環說明現前標點以後如標第Ⅷ方即是後面分段之連續指令按照希望再傳即可…… 此文編寫的輸入執行至實際所需才能完滿交由承接操作必達否則另文闡而述。後續開頭依段落取出即在即應；此末落跨分竟保持絕端進路從語言清續尚未完備而妥處調整免誤註作省略體例：至此階段第四類餘枝回傳後可按被跳部分之列逐道銜接（包含下面階段的款式），後備妥上述段落即完成章節獨立。
Detailed Explanation of Flexible Measurement, Part Three. Gong Du Says: The two measurement methods listed above have both fixed specifications and provisional adaptations. Here I will further explain the principles of flexible interpretation, where the scoring differs slightly from the above.
One: Those whose physical form is strikingly prominent and towering peak-like, scoring 30 points; whose spirit is reserved, complete, sound, and possesses spiritual acuity and innate wisdom, scoring 25 points; whose voice is clear, melodious, and resonant with sustained elegance, scoring 15 points; whose complexion is bright, moist, lustrous, and pure, like purple mist or rosy clouds, scoring 30, 25, or 20 points. These are all perfected beings—none other than immortals or Buddhas—who achieve the indestructible body and a form enduring for a thousand years. Hence, they are placed in the first class.
Two: Those whose physical form is strikingly prominent, towering, and imposing, scoring 30 points; whose spirit is sufficient, complete, sound, and possesses spiritual acuity and innate wisdom, scoring 25 points; whose voice is clear, focused, melodious, and resonantly majestic, scoring 15 points; whose complexion is bright and moist, scoring 20 points, or full, concentrated, and serene, scoring 10 points. These are of pure nobility and great renown, of the rank of sages and worthies. Because sages establish doctrines and laws as models for ten thousand generations and the advancement of humanity, relying only on physical form, spirit, and voice, without needing the aid of complexion, they are placed in the second class.
Three: Those whose physical form is strikingly prominent, towering, and imposing, scoring 25 or 20 points; whose spirit is reserved, spiritual, acute, and fully concentrated, scoring 20 or 15 points; whose voice is clear, focused, melodious, and resoundingly crisp, scoring 15 points; whose complexion is full, concentrated, yellow-bright, and purple-moist, scoring 20 points. These are founders of dynasties or inheritors of empires; next are those who carve out territories, hold partial sway, or usurp titles for hegemony. As long as physical form, spirit, voice, and complexion are sufficient, one may rise and establish extraordinary enterprises. Alternatively, if physical form, voice, and complexion are sufficient but spirit scores fewer points, totaling above 70 up to 80, these are still of great nobility. Hence, they are placed in the third class.
Four: Those whose physical form is clear, extraordinary, towering, and imposing, scoring 25 or 20 points; whose complexion is lustrous, pure, yellow-bright, and purple-moist, scoring 20 points; whose spirit is full, concentrated, spiritual, acute, and sound, scoring 20 points; whose voice is clear, smooth, melodious, and sustained, scoring 10 points. These are of the rank of dukes, marquises, generals, and ministers, with fiefs and territories. Or if physical form and complexion score fewer points while spirit and voice score more; or if spirit and voice score fewer while physical form and complexion score more—when the total reaches above 60 up to 70, these are all of the highest nobility, with achievements in their time and fame bequeathed to posterity. Hence, they are placed in the fourth class.
Five: Those whose physical form is full, prominent, clear, extraordinary, and solid, scoring 20 or 15 points; whose complexion is lustrous, pure, yellow-bright, and purple-moist, scoring 20 or 15 points; whose spirit is full, concentrated, brilliant, and sound, scoring 20 or 15 points; whose voice is clear, handsome, smooth, and elegantly lingering, scoring 10 or 5 points. These are renowned generals and high-ranking ministers, with both wealth and nobility, or great wealth with extraordinary sources of profit, or high nobility with exceptional undertakings, or great longevity with octogenarian enjoyments, or the complete felicity of wealth, nobility, longevity, and virtue. Wherever combined measurement yields above 50 up to 60 points, all such cases apply: where wealth is weak, nobility and longevity are doubled; where longevity is weak, wealth and nobility are doubled; where nobility is weak, wealth and longevity are doubled—the rest can be inferred by analogy. Hence, they are placed in the fifth class.
Six: Those whose physical form is full, prominent, clear, extraordinary, and solid, scoring 25 or 20 points; whose spirit, voice, and complexion offset each other, scoring 25 or 20 points. These enjoy both wealth and nobility, or are leisurely and without deficiency, leaving a legacy of renown; or are famous scholars and celebrities with pride before princes; or have specialized skills with written works. Hence, they are placed in the sixth class.
Seven: Those whose physical form is full, prominent, clear, extraordinary, and solid, scoring 20 or 15 points; whose spirit and complexion together score 25 points, or whose complexion and voice together score 25 points. These are of middling wealth and nobility, civil officials reaching provincial and prefectural ranks, military officers reaching division and frontier command. Whenever four measured aspects total above 35 up to 45 points, all belong to this category. In prosperous times, they rise through ordered ranks, relatively at ease and flourishing; in chaotic times, they often risk and rise abruptly, achieving success through greater toil and grievance. Hence, they are placed in the seventh class.
Eight: Those whose physical form is clear, extraordinary, and prominent, scoring 15 or 10 points; whose spirit and complexion together score 20 points, or complexion and voice together score 20 points, or voice and spirit together score 20 points. These are of the rank just below middling wealth and nobility, with some having longevity and some not. Civil officials reach prefecture and county magistrate; military officers reach regiment and battalion deputy command; or they are the wealthiest in a district or village; or they have fine reputations, great names, or extraordinary skills that bring honor. Hence, they are placed in the eighth class.
Nine: Those whose four aspects combined score 20 or 25 points, or whose single aspect scores 20 or 25 points, or whose two aspects offset and adjust to score 20 or 25 points. These are of constant wealth and constant nobility, or have wealth without nobility as gentry, wealthy merchants, and great traders; or have nobility without wealth, drifting in auxiliary and subordinate roles; yet all have ample clothing and food. Hence, they are placed in the ninth class.
Ten: Those whose four aspects combined measure to 15 or 10 points, or whose surplus and deficiency add and subtract to 15 or 10 points. All enjoy ample clothing and food, or have useful children, or reliable brothers, or supportive relatives and clan, or helpful friendships; they also indicate minor fame and short-term prosperity. Hence, they are placed in the tenth class.
Eleven: Those whose four aspects are measured collectively, where surplus in one is added and deficiency in another subtracted, netting no points. This indicates toil with clothing and livelihood, prosperity with setbacks; if there is minor wealth and nobility, then illness, calamity, and lack of longevity; if there are signs of longevity, then punishment, conflict, and solitude—all are cases with deficiencies. Hence, they are placed in the eleventh class.
Twelve: Those whose four aspects are measured collectively, calculating surplus and deficiency by multiplication and division, resulting in a deficit of points, with the magnitude of the deficit determining the degree of poverty and destitution, the extent of solitude and bitterness, and the kind of harm—all decided by the magnitude. Hence, they are placed in the twelfth class.
Detailed Explanation of Flexible Measurement, Part Four. Gong Du Says: The three measurement methods listed above are general principles. Now, taking the measurement of an individual's entire body, with physical form alone as the standard and calculated on a percentage of 100: the head and face down to the neck score 70 points, and the body below the neck scores 30 points. This is the method of Bodhidharma. Hence, the significance of hand reading, bone reading, and mole or line reading is evidently minor. The detailed breakdown follows.
The method of 70 points for the face is as above.
The two hands score 3 points, the two feet 2 points, the thighs and upper arms 2 points, the two breasts 2 points, the navel and abdomen 2 points, the chest center 2 points, the neck 2 points, the genital organ 3 points, the anus 1 point, the waist and buttocks 2 points, the back and spine 2 points, the armpit hair 1 point, the flanks 1 point, the two knees 1 point, the two shoulders 1 point, the ankle bones 1 point, the elbow bones 1 point, and the heels 1 point. This is the method of 30 points for the whole body.
Detailed Explanation of Flexible Measurement, Part Five. Gong Du Says: The face, calculated on a scale of 100 points, is the foundation of physiognomy. The head is the chief of all yang, the arbiter of all parts; the essence of the five viscera and six bowels crystallizes in the face. Hence, the sages' saying, "Sincerity within manifests without," reflects the mutual resonance and connection between inner and outer. The breakdown follows.
I. Highest Scores
II. Next Highest Scores
III. Remaining Scores
The above are the detailed rules of the hundred-point face measurement. The examiner should understand the primary causes, discern the relative weights, and only then apply the method lawfully.
Detailed Explanation of Flexible Measurement, Part Six. Gong Du Says: The five measurement methods listed above are complete for determining the configurations of wealth, nobility, poverty, destitution, longevity, premature death, toil, and ease. But specifically concerning death and danger, injury and imprisonment, illness and punishment, a separate Measurement for Life-Threatening Years is established.
Among these:
If three of these five items are manifest, then death is certain and beyond rescue. If one or two items are manifest, facts of varying severity follow. The most severe is death, next is danger, then disability, then bloodshed and wounds; lighter is imprisonment, and the lightest is punishment to family members, loss of property, or chronic lingering illness.
Among the five items listed above, when three are already ominous, it is an extremity of peril; with four changes, death is certainly beyond rescue, and the verdict is doubled and decisive; with five changes, not even the corpse remains intact, or posthumous burdens fall upon wife, concubines, and children—for not only does one lose one's life, but there is the calamity of family extermination. With one or two items, decide by their severity. As for the mix of good and bad, offset each by multiplication and division, then adjust. This is the function of flexible application.
Gong Du Says: Locations are divided into two kinds: some have complexion names, exclusively governing the function of complexion; others have lifespan names, exclusively governing the function of fortune periods. Originally, each year is one fortune period, with each location exclusively governing one age. But there is a method of domination that the ancients did not annotate in detail. I have examined that when fortune reaches a certain location, the question is which part serves as the principle and which as the secondary—hence there are primary receptions of the main fortune and auxiliary attachments of the side fortune. The classifications follow.
From age 1 to age 14, the left ear governs 7 years and the right ear 7 years; for the female configuration this is reversed, though it can also run forward. Deciding the root and advancing the fortune employs the bodily form as an additional factor, that is, the method of water one, fire two, metal three, wood four, earth five; the root is determined with this addition.
Wherever a dominating location is auspicious, the fortune is doubled auspicious; where inauspicious, doubled inauspicious—hence called the primary reception fortune; where an attached location is auspicious, it is reduced in degree, and where inauspicious, also reduced—hence called the auxiliary reception fortune. Because the heavenly rampart and the human wheel are the dominating principles, there is a distinction of weight.
From the fire star at age 15 to age 21, with names including the fire star, heavenly center, sun angle, moon angle, heavenly court, and auxiliary angles.
The auxiliary reception fortunes all take the dominating fortune as their standard; the dominating location can attend to the before and after, hence one area's fortune may last 3 or 4 years, all decided by the dominator. Where the primary reception bodily form is auspicious, it is doubled auspicious; where inauspicious, doubled inauspicious; where the attached bodily form is auspicious, it is halved; where inauspicious, halved as well. There is a relationship of addition and subtraction, of weight and verification, between primary and auxiliary reception.
These are the closing section of early fortune and the starting point of middle fortune. The primary reception dominating location governs the attached auxiliary reception locations. If the primary reception dominator is inauspicious, then even if the attached auxiliary locations are fine, the fortune is mixed and impure; if the primary reception dominator is quite auspicious, then even if the attached auxiliary locations are inauspicious, the fortune is safe and without fault. Fortune, misfortune, blessing, and calamity are determined by their relative weight.
From ages 31 to 34, with names including lingyun, ziqi, fanxia, and caixia. Again, with fanxia at age 33 as the primary reception dominating fortune, the rest as auxiliary attachment fortunes. The two brows take fanxia as their pivot of transition: if the brows are thick, coarse, short, and turbid, the fortune is doubled inauspicious; if the brows are clear, handsome, long, and angular, the fortune is doubled auspicious, with matters of weight involved.
From the sun at age 35 to the lesser yin at age 40.
Starting at Mount Gen (Shan Gen) at age 41 and ending at Tingwei at age 50, this period is divided into two segments.
During these ten years of the Central Peak, Shan Gen and Zhun Tou serve as the benchmarks for transitions. If the physical structure is full, even, rounded, and well-supported with a defined bridge, then the primary ruling fortune indicates key progress in practical affairs and substantial savings in wealth; the secondary supporting fortune, though favorable, remains merely a tributary. If the structure is sunken, weak, sharp, drooping, or has breaks, then the primary ruling fortune signals practical setbacks and substantial loss of wealth; when failure only arrives during the secondary supporting period, it represents a delayed echo. For the root of success or failure lies in the primary ruling fortune, not in the secondary supporting one.
Starting at the Philtrum at age 51 and ending at Mercury (Shui Xing) at age 60, this period is divided into two segments.
During these ten years of the Philtrum, the Philtrum and the Left Tiger's Ear serve as the guiding principles for transitions. If the physical structure is qualified and auspicious, then there will be abundant clothing and food enjoyment, and the descendants may prosper as hoped—these determinations rest on the primary ruling fortune. For unfavorable outcomes, apply the same logic in reverse. Additionally, there are cases where fortune may come earlier or later than expected, manifesting as good or ill omens: in lean, clear, and exposed configurations, things tend to occur early; in thick, turbid, and harmonious configurations, they tend to occur later. These patterns are not without cause, and may be assessed using other supplementary methods.
Starting at Cheng Jiang at age 61 and ending at the two cheeks at age 75.
Over these fifteen years of the North Peak, Pond's Edge and Earth Pavilion are the key factors: if these are free from illness and worry, then even if secondary areas are weak, there is no fault. If the primary ruling areas are sunken, weak, or insufficient, then actual affairs become twice as adverse—household members suffer calamity, illness, cold decline; legal disputes cause entanglement, burden, and grievance; even if secondary areas are fine, weaknesses will still appear. Whether events occur early or late is inferred from the physical structure.
Starting at the Zi position at age 76 and ending at age 99.
Because Zi, Wu, Mao, and You are the four cardinal positions, they are the key points of transition and the governing principles, weighing heavily or lightly as described above. If the primary ruling areas are qualified and more than sufficient, then actual affairs become twice as fortunate—family members experience celebration and peace, and body and mind are at ease; deficiencies in secondary areas do no harm. If the primary ruling areas are sunken, weak, or insufficient, then actual affairs become twice as adverse—family members and finances suffer losses, and body and mind are burdened with sorrow. Additional inferences about early or late occurrence follow the same methods as the examples above.
Volume 12 of Gong Du Xiangfa is not merely "face reading" or "palm reading"—it is a systematic scoring and weight allocation model. It divides physiognomy into four great pillars: physical constitution (Xing Zhi), spirit (Jing Shen), complexion (Qi Se), and voice (Sheng Yin), each worth 25 points; it further subdivides into quantitative indicators such as facial regions, the whole body, the three sections (San Ting), and voice types, akin to an ancient talent assessment rubric. There are three core principles:
When read in modern terms, this system is essentially a personality and fortune assessment framework. It converts abstract facial appearances into quantifiable scores and establishes corresponding expectations of social class for different score ranges. This resembles today's "competency models" or "risk assessment charts," except it is based on ancient observational experience rather than statistical data.
For example, in the "Fifteen Grades of Physical Constitution," terms such as clear, extraordinary, ancient, refined, righteous, thick, solemn, and balanced can correspond to modern psychology's temperament types, impression management through appearance, and body language; "cold, turbid, broken, coarse, evil, exposed, and deficient" can be viewed as aggregate manifestations of negative physical and mental states. The ten classifications of voice resemble vocology, speech characteristics, and judgments of personality and emotion.
It must be noted, however, that the work contains substantial fatalistic and feudal hierarchical views, such as "the dignity of emperors" and "not ranked among the grades"—these are historical limitations and should not serve as guidance for modern life.
In contemporary life, what is worth borrowing is not "scores determine fate" but the following practical ways of thinking:
Volume 12 of Gong Du Xiangfa reflects a philosophical outlook of "unity of form and spirit" and "correspondence between internal and external." It holds that a person's inner spirit manifests in external physical form, while the outer complexion reflects inner vitality. This aligns with the traditional Chinese idea that "what is sincere within inevitably takes shape without."
It also embodies a systems approach and weight-ranking mentality: no single factor can determine the whole; rather, weights must be assigned across the entire structure and surpluses and deficiencies compared. This holistic, statistical perspective can still inspire us today: in evaluating a person or a matter, we should not rely solely on partial information but should establish a multi-dimensional, weighted assessment framework.
Of course, its philosophical foundations of "heavenly mandates and hierarchy" and "bone-structure determinism" must be critiqued. Modern readers should take from it the methods of systematic observation and self-reflection while discarding the superstitious shell.
(^*) Yintang: the point between the eyebrows.
(^\dagger) "Saturn" refers to the nose.
Contemporary scholars approach traditional physiognomy mainly from the perspectives of cultural history, body philosophy, and social hierarchy theory. For example:
Modern scholarship generally holds that the "physical constitution—spirit—voice and complexion" observations in physiognomy may have some physiological and psychological basis, but the claimed correlations with fortune or misfortune lack scientific evidence, and should therefore be viewed rationally.