Chiyang Daoren, Eastern Taoism
Earlier articles discussed four methods of traditional face reading: “the Five Features,” “the Three Sections,” “the Five Eyes,” and “the Twelve Palaces.” This article turns, finally, to the traditional method of “the Five Peaks” and “the Four Rivers.”
In this method, “the Five Peaks” (wuyue) are the five famous mountains of the natural world: the Eastern Peak, Mount Tai; the Western Peak, Mount Hua; the Southern Peak, Mount Heng in Hunan; the Central Peak, Mount Song; and the Northern Peak, Mount Heng in Shanxi. “The Four Rivers” (sidu) are four great rivers of the natural world: the Southern River, the Yangtze; the Western River, the Yellow River; the Eastern River, the Huai; and the Northern River, the Ji (once an important river system in northern China, which dried up completely after the late Tang and survives only in historical records).
The Five Peaks and Four Rivers method takes these five famous mountains and four great rivers as a metaphor and views the human face as a “landscape of mountains and waters.” The specific mapping is as follows: Mount Tai maps to the left cheekbone, Mount Hua to the right cheekbone, Mount Heng (the Southern Peak) to the Tianting (“Heavenly Court,” the forehead), Mount Song to the nose bridge, and Mount Heng (the Northern Peak) to the chin; the Yangtze maps to the two ears, the Yellow River to the two eyes, the Huai to the mouth, and the Ji to the nose. From the fullness of the contours, the symmetry, and the harmony of proportions in this facial landscape, one judges the foundation of a person's overall fate, the depth of their blessings and longevity, and the pattern of their life. “The Five Peaks” govern the “foundation” of career, finances, and blessings in life and are fundamental; “the Four Rivers” govern the “flow” of emotion, opportunity, and health in life and are changeable.
Below, the method is analyzed systematically from four angles: its core logic, a detailed account of each part, the judgment of good and ill fortune, and practical application.
1. The Core Logic of the “Five Peaks” and “Four Rivers”
The Five Peaks and Four Rivers are the correspondence between the “mountains and waters” of the face and the “pattern” of one's fate. Traditional face reading holds of fortune in life that “the face is like a landscape, and fate is like mountains and rivers.” The “lie of the mountains” in the facial contours—the Five Peaks—determines the “height” of one's career and finances, while the “lie of the waters”—the Four Rivers—determines the “flow” of emotion and opportunity. When mountains and waters are in harmony, fortune is steady; when they are out of balance, fortune meets many setbacks.
In general, the mountains of the Five Peaks symbolize stability and the capacity to bear, corresponding to career achievement, the accumulation of wealth, and blessings in old age; the waters of the Four Rivers symbolize flow and nourishment, corresponding to smooth relationships, seizing opportunities, and healthy vitality.
2. A Detailed Account of the “Five Peaks”
1. The Eastern Peak, Mount Tai
The Eastern Peak, Mount Tai, is located at the left cheekbone. Its core meanings are help from benefactors, the holding of real power, and breakthroughs in one's career.
Its auspicious signs: the left cheekbone is full and fleshy, with bone and flesh well matched, balanced and symmetrical with the right cheekbone, and in harmonious proportion with the forehead (the Upper Section), the area from the eyebrows to the nose tip (the Middle Section), and the chin (the Lower Section), with no local protrusion or hollow. The distance between the left cheekbone and the left eye is moderate (about one to two finger-widths)—neither so close that it presses on the eye nor so far that it becomes a “lonely cheekbone.” The skin over the left cheekbone is evenly rosy with a natural luster.
Its inauspicious signs: the left cheekbone is below the horizontal line of the Zhuntou (the nose tip), or insufficiently wrapped in the soft tissue of the face, or even sunken; the left cheekbone spreads sideways with sharp edges and no soft tissue wrapping it; or the left and right cheekbones are unbalanced in height.
2. The Western Peak, Mount Hua
The Western Peak, Mount Hua, is located at the right cheekbone. Its core meanings are a commanding presence, the ability to fight one's battles, and the ability to hold on to wealth.
Its auspicious signs: the right cheekbone is evenly wrapped in the soft tissue of the face, neither bony nor sunken, and basically the same in height and form as the left cheekbone; the height of the right cheekbone is basically level with the nose tip, or slightly below the Zhuntou without being sunken; and it is in harmonious proportion with the upper, middle, and lower sections, with no local protrusion or hollow.
Its inauspicious signs: the right cheekbone is below the horizontal line of the Zhuntou, or insufficiently wrapped in soft tissue, or even sunken; the right cheekbone spreads sideways with sharp edges and no soft tissue wrapping it; or the right cheekbone is markedly higher than the left.
3. The Southern Peak, Mount Heng
The Southern Peak, Mount Heng, is located at the center of the forehead (the Heavenly Court). Its core meanings are reputation and prestige and fortune in early life.
Its auspicious signs are breadth and fullness, no horizontal or stray lines, and a jade-like color. Its inauspicious signs are narrowness or hollowness, lines shaped like the character chuan (three vertical strokes) or “random lines,” and a bluish-black color.
4. The Central Peak, Mount Song
The Central Peak, Mount Song, is located at the nose bridge. Its core meanings are career in middle age, willpower, and the ability to carry things out.
Its auspicious signs are a straight, high nose bridge, an unbroken Shangen (the root of the nose between the eyes), and full, fleshy nostril wings.
Its inauspicious signs are a low, collapsed, or crooked nose bridge, a broken Shangen, and flat, fleshless nostril wings.
5. The Northern Peak, Mount Heng
The Northern Peak, Mount Heng, is located at the chin. Its core meanings are blessings in old age, the foundation of the family, and the bond with descendants.
Its auspicious signs are a chin that is neither pointed and thin nor scarred, and a rosy color.
Its inauspicious signs are a pointed, thin, or sunken chin, or scars or wrinkles on it, and a pale color.
3. A Detailed Account of the “Four Rivers”
1. The Southern River, the Yangtze
The Southern River, the Yangtze, is located at the two ears. Its core meanings are the accumulation of wealth and the keenness of one's hearing.
Its auspicious signs: the ears are rosy and lustrous, with clearly defined light and dark, set high and close to the head, at least level with the eyebrows (ideally higher), and lying flat against the head without turning outward, drooping, or standing apart, in harmony with the face.
Its inauspicious signs: the ears turn outward and stand away from the head, that is, protruding ears; the ears are thin, with shriveled lobes; their color is bluish-black or pale; or they bear scars, black moles, or damage.
2. The Western River, the Yellow River
The Western River, the Yellow River, is located at the two eyes. Its core meanings are authority and one's mental state.
Its auspicious signs: full eyes with upturned outer corners; thick eyelids without slackness or drooping; moderate spacing between the eyes, in harmony with the eyebrows; clean white sclera without bloodshot veins or yellow spots; jet-black pupils; and a clear gaze.
Its inauspicious signs: sunken eyes with drooping outer corners; thin, slack eyelids with wrinkles or drooping; eyes set too wide or too close; and muddy whites with bloodshot veins or yellow spots.
3. The Eastern River, the Huai
The Eastern River, the Huai, is located at the mouth. Its core meanings are one's good fortune in food and drink, relationships, the virtue of one's speech, and fortune in old age.
Its auspicious signs: a well-shaped, upright mouth, lips of moderate thickness, upturned corners, clear lip lines, and rosy lips without cracks or spots.
Its inauspicious signs: a crooked mouth, lips unbalanced in thickness, with the upper and lower lips of mismatched thickness, and dull lips that are cracked or spotted.
4. The Northern River, the Ji
The Northern River, the Ji, is located at the nose. Its core meanings are the circulation of wealth and the foundation of one's career.
Its auspicious signs: a straight nose bridge, neither crooked nor collapsed; a round nose tip with the look of a proper “Zhuntou”; full nostril wings, without hollows or damage; and a rosy, jade-like luster, without black moles, scars, or visible red veins.
Its inauspicious signs: a crooked, collapsed, or knotted nose bridge; a pointed, thin nose tip without the look of a proper Zhuntou; sunken, asymmetrical, or damaged nostril wings; and a bluish-black, pale, or dull color, with black moles, scars, or visible red veins.
4. The Relationship in Fate Between the “Five Peaks” and the “Four Rivers”
To use the Five Peaks and Four Rivers method of face reading, one must understand the relationship and logic between the two in terms of fate.
First, the key logic of the Five Peaks: the Five Peaks correspond to five core areas of the face and govern the “foundation and upper limit” of career, finances, and blessings. People whose Five Peaks are “symmetrical and full” are foretold to develop career, finances, and blessings in balance, with no great ups and downs in life. People whose Five Peaks are “one high and one low” or “one plump and one thin” are foretold to have fortune that may be unbalanced among career, finances, or blessings—for example, if the Eastern Peak is high and the Western Peak low, one may have a strong career but weak finances. People whose Five Peaks are “low, sunken, or incomplete” are foretold to face major setbacks in fortune—for example, if the Northern Peak is low and sunken, one may be lonely and poorly blessed in old age.
Second, the key logic of the Four Rivers: the Four Rivers correspond to four “water areas” of the face and govern the “flow and nourishment” of emotion, opportunity, and health. People whose Four Rivers are “clear and full” are foretold to have smooth relationships, a steady stream of opportunities, good health, and good fortune in food and drink in old age. People whose Four Rivers are “muddy or incomplete” are foretold to have many romantic entanglements, difficulty seizing opportunities, many hidden health problems, and a tendency toward problems with diet or illness in old age.
5. Judging Good and Ill Fortune by the “Five Peaks” and “Four Rivers”
The key to judging good and ill fortune by the Five Peaks and Four Rivers is that one must never look only at a single part of them. The method emphasizes the overall pattern—whether mountains and waters are in harmony. There are three typical patterns of the Five Peaks and Four Rivers. These three patterns hold a very important place in the method and have special significance for judging good and ill fortune, as follows.
1. The Pattern of the “Five Peaks” Paying Court to the Central Peak
This is the pattern of the highest wealth and rank. Its core features are a square, broad, bright Southern Peak (the forehead); a round, thick, full Northern Peak (the chin); and a symmetrically raised Eastern Peak (the left cheekbone) and Western Peak (the right cheekbone), all together paying court to the Central Peak (the nose), while the Central Peak (the nose) is high, raised, straight, and long, echoing the Four Rivers (ears, eyes, mouth, and nose) in harmony, forming a complete presence in which “the Three Powers of heaven, earth, and humanity are connected throughout.” The standing of this feature of the Five Peaks paying court to the Central Peak within the Five Peaks and Four Rivers method is such that it is even regarded as “the face of an emperor”; even if not an emperor, one is sure to have “a face of great nobility.” It foretells balanced fortune in every stage of life: support from ancestral blessings in early life, flourishing career and finances in middle age, and long-lasting blessings and longevity in old age.
The physiognomy books say: “When the Five Peaks pay court and the Four Rivers flow around, it is the sign of the greatest wealth and rank under heaven.” Most people with this kind of face have quite good leadership and decisiveness and readily attain high positions in politics or business.
2. The “Four Rivers” Encircling the “Five Peaks”: The Pattern of Middle-Class Security
Its core features are that the Five Peaks (forehead, chin, nose, and left and right cheekbones) are upright in form, without obvious hollows or slant, while among the Four Rivers (ears, eyes, mouth, and nose) the ears are deep, close-set, and fleshy, encircling the two sides of the forehead; the eyes are spirited with a gentle gaze, encircling the area of the eyes and eyebrows; the mouth is square with rosy lips, encircling the philtrum and chin; and the nose is full and centered, commanding the whole. Together they form an overall state in which “inside and outside echo each other and the presence flows freely.” It foretells “steady progress and no worries about food and clothing,” with balanced fortune in every stage: in early life, ancestral blessings or family support and a smooth start in study and career; in middle age, flourishing career and finances, with help from benefactors and personal ability equally important and steady accumulation of wealth; and in old age, long-lasting blessings and longevity, worthy and filial descendants, and no major health or financial risks. In traditional physiognomy, this feature is the most common and widely recognized “auspicious face,” and the physiognomy books give the verdict: “When the Four Rivers encircle and the Five Peaks support one another, one has no worries about food and clothing all one's life, and one's descendants are worthy and filial.”
3. The Pattern of Unbalanced “Five Peaks” and “Four Rivers”
When the Five Peaks and Four Rivers are out of balance, this is the pattern of ruin and hardship. People whose Five Peaks are unbalanced may have an unstable foundation in life, with breaks in fortune between its stages.
(1) If the Southern Peak, the forehead, is narrow, sloping, or sunken, or the hairline too high, it foretells insufficient ancestral blessings, a difficult start in study and career in early life, vulnerability to family misfortunes or environmental limitations, and a lack of support from benefactors.
(2) If the Central Peak, the nose bridge, is low and collapsed, the nose tip short and small, or the nostril wings collapsed or crooked, it foretells obstacles to career and finances in middle age, insufficient ability to carry things out, a tendency to lose wealth through bad decisions or interference from petty, scheming people, and difficulty being promoted at work.
(3) If the Eastern Peak, the left cheekbone, is sunken, slanting, unwrapped by flesh, or lower than the Zhuntou, it foretells a lack of help from benefactors, a tendency to be pushed aside at work, cooperation that easily goes wrong, a lack of real power and collaborative strength, and difficulty making breakthroughs in one's career.
(4) If the Western Peak, the right cheekbone, is low and flat, sunken, sharp-edged, or higher than the left cheekbone, it foretells large swings in finances, poor ability to hold on to wealth, a tendency to lose money through impulsive spending or investment mistakes, and even legal risks brought on by greed.
(5) If the Northern Peak, the chin, is pointed, thin, sunken, crooked, or unwrapped by flesh, it foretells an unstable foundation in old age, difficulty preserving blessings and longevity, a tendency to fall into hardship through health problems or family conflicts, and descendants who can hardly fulfill their filial duty.
4. People Whose “Four Rivers” Are Unbalanced May Find the “Flow” of Wealth and Opportunity Blocked, Leaving Them in Difficulty
(1) Its core features: if the Southern River, the ears, is thin and small, protruding, without lobes, or with a damaged rim, it foretells insufficient wisdom, difficulty telling real opportunities from false ones, difficulty keeping the family estate, a tendency to lose property through trusting others too readily, and a lack of support from elders or hidden benefactors.
(2) If the Western River, the eyes, is dull, muddy, squinting, or with heavy eye bags, it foretells a shortened life, insufficient strategic skill, a tendency to miss key opportunities, a tendency to be deceived at work, and even major blunders caused by impulsive decisions.
(3) If the Eastern River, the mouth, is crooked, with thin, fleshless lips, uneven teeth, or drooping corners, it foretells calamity brought on by speech, a tendency to cause disputes through quarrels and gossip, poor relations with others in old age, difficulty communicating with descendants, and difficulty enjoying blessings in old age.
(4) If the Northern River, the nose, has a short, small tip, collapsed nostril wings, a broken bridge, or a mole on the tip, it foretells blocked finances, insufficient ability to carry things out, slow accumulation of wealth, a tendency to miss chances to make money by “aiming high while achieving little,” and even a debt crisis brought on by greed.