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Chapter 6 of 6
神相金较剪
The Palace of Children and Relations refers to the part of the face where one's fortune regarding children and offspring is observed. There are six key points to consider:
First, observe the eyes and gaze. 👁 Eyes that are distinctly black and white indicate that one's children will be intelligent and exceptionally wise.
Second, observe the wòcán (卧蚕) area (the lower eyelid region). The color of this area should not be dull or dark—if it is, the children's fortune is unfavorable.
Third, observe the nose. 👃 The bridge of the nose should be straight and strong, symbolizing that one's children will achieve success.
Fourth, observe the dìkù (地库) (both sides of the chin). The dìkù should have an upward-supporting configuration—that is, the sides of the chin should taper inward with a lifting posture. For example, Chiang Kai-shek and Li Chin-lung (father of Lee Teng-hui) are both representative figures with this feature. However, if the dìkù protrudes excessively, forming a "hùdòu" (地包天/crossbite underbite) shape, it is unfavorable—such as in the case of the female host Tsao Lan, which is considered an unideal physiognomy.
Fifth, observe the philtrum (人中). The philtrum should be deeply recessed and forceful, and preferably slightly elongated.
Sixth, observe the mouth shape. 👄 The mouth should be well-formed and refined.
Those who possess all of the above conditions will have children who are intelligent and capable of achieving great things.
If a person's gaze is lacking in spirit and appears weak, and the dìkù appears somewhat thin and insubstantial, such a person has less affinity with their children, though the children themselves will still be quite fine.
Whether children will become famous in the future depends on whether the eyes are distinctly black and white.
In assessing the quality of one's children, whether the philtrum is straight is the primary condition.
Where does one begin when observing whether a woman's children will be virtuous and filial?
A nose that is not particularly high is not a major concern, but the woman should have refined eyebrows and clear, bright eyes, along with a well-formed philtrum. A slightly receding chin is also not detrimental. Under these conditions, her children will certainly be good. However, such women lack the blessing of having children around them—after the children achieve success, they often are not present to attend to their parents.
To determine whether one's children can carry on the family enterprise, first observe whether the eyes are clearly defined and whether the bridge of the nose is high and straight. If so, the children will not squander the family heritage.
Conversely, if the eyes are not clearly black-white defined, the nose is low and flat, the philtrum is not prominent, and the teeth are sparse, then the sons will eventually ruin the family fortune.
Those who are troubled because of their children, or who have given birth to unfilial sons, will have eyes devoid of spirit and vitality.
Those who constantly worry about their children will have fatigued eyes, with reddish fleshy growths forming inside the eye area.
Those who spend substantial money on their children tend to have comparatively smaller noses.
If one has a coarse voice, a high nose, a flat forehead, a darkened complexion, and fleshy growths inside the eyes, this indicates that their children are unfilial—but the root cause lies in wrongdoings committed by the parent themselves.
A flat and even philtrum indicates unfilial children; a shallow and short philtrum indicates disobedient children.
A flat and even philtrum also indicates a licentious and amorous personality.
A shallow and short philtrum means fewer children, and a lack of concern for one's children.
Those with a somewhat protruding philtrum (slightly upturned) will likely have their children raised by others, or the children will live away from them. This is generally because the parent is occupied with career and work, delegating childcare to others—this is especially pronounced in those with fairer skin.
A shallow and short philtrum means fewer children; a long philtrum means more children.
Those with darker skin and lusterless eyes will have many children, but lack sufficient education for them.
The nose and philtrum are considered the regions of intimate union between the sexes. Therefore, the longer the philtrum, the more frequent the sexual union; a short philtrum means fewer children.
The core logic of this chapter is built upon the theory of facial holography: specific regions of the face correspond to specific domains of life, and the observatory focus of the Palace of Children and Relations centers on six key features: the eyes, the lower eyelid area (wòcán), the philtrum, the nose, the dìkù (sides of chin), and the mouth shape.
The assessment framework can be divided into three tiers:
| Dimension | Key Features | Assessment Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Children's intelligence | Clarity of eye black/white, lower eyelid color | Whether children are intelligent |
| Children's achievements | Nose, dìkù, mouth shape | Whether children can achieve greatness |
| Children's affinity | Philtrum depth/length, eye vitality | Number of children, whether they remain to care for parents |
The core idea can be summarized as: The state of one's "vital essence, spirit, and energy" as reflected on the face directly corresponds to the abundance of one's blessings in terms of children. Bright and spirited eyes, a deep and powerful philtrum, and an upward-supporting dìkù are regarded as signs of "abundant vitality," implying strong reproductive and nurturing capacities—and consequently, intelligent and filial children.
Viewed through a modern lens, this system of facial reading offers some simple observational wisdom, yet also exhibits significant limitations of its era:
Reasonable observational foundations:
Apparent limitations:
Setting aside the divinatory aspects, this chapter still offers observation methods with real-world relevance:
Behind the "Palace of Children and Relations" lies a profound philosophy of psychosomatic unity:
Facial features are not a "display screen" for fate, but rather the natural manifestation of long-term physical and mental states on the face. When a person worries over their children, their eyes become red, growths appear, and the gaze loses vitality—these are somatized expressions of emotion and stress. The ancients observed this phenomenon but reversed the causal relationship by concluding that "facial features display fate." In reality, it is long-term psychological states and lifestyle habits that shape the face, not the face that determines destiny.
The most profound philosophical proposition in this chapter lies in a seemingly contradictory line: "The child is also unfilial, but it is also one's own wrongdoing." This acknowledges human agency—the face is merely the effect; the person's actions are the cause. This is highly consistent with the modern psychological concept that "children are mirrors of their parents."
The true value of physiognomy lies not in predicting the future, but in reminding us: the face we wear at this moment is the sedimentation of the life we have lived.
In conclusion, while this chapter on the Palace of Children and Relations preserves the observational details of traditional physiognomy, its genuinely valuable contribution lies in: reminding people to attend to their own physical and mental well-being, reflect on their child-rearing practices, and understand that "the face is a mirror of life, not a prewritten verdict of fate."