Physiognomy: A General Discussion of the Three Stops and Six Palaces

What are the three stops and six palaces in physiognomy? The three parts of the face are the upper, middle and lower parts of the face; the six organs are the two accessory bones, two zygomatic bones and two chin bones.

1. The upper part of the forehead is located from the hairline to the eyebrows. The upper part of the forehead represents the sky, so if the upper part of the forehead is long and plump, square, broad and bright like a cover-up, it indicates nobility. Also look at early fortune (luck before the age of 30), the quality of the ancestral yin, and the quality of the wisdom of Chongtian. If the upper part of the face is pointed, narrow, sunken, missing corners, scarred, and has a messy hairline, it indicates many disasters, misfortunes, harm to parents, and a sign of lowliness.

2. The middle part of the face (from the space between the eyebrows to the nose) is the symbol of the middle part, so if the middle part is plump, straight, complete and quiet, it indicates longevity. It also determines one's human affairs (one's character). A person with a straight nose has a straight heart, while a person with a crooked nose has a crooked heart. It also determines one's luck in middle age (luck at the age of 31, 50, or 65). If the middle part of the face is short, crooked, with protruding bones and narrow bones, it indicates that the person is unkind and unjust, has a narrow mind, and will not receive support from his brothers and wife. He will be prone to ruin and financial loss in middle age. People with shield-like hair that carries a killing sign tend to be violent. Generally speaking, people who are destined to die young or suffer unexpected disasters are mostly harmed by having major defects in their eyebrows or eyes.

3. The lower part of the face is the area below the nose (from the philtrum below the nose to the chin). The lower part of the face represents the earth, so if the lower part of the face is plump, flat, full, and thick, it indicates wealth. It also determines the fortune in old age (fortune after the age of fifty), whether the children are virtuous and filial, whether there is support, the fortune of younger generations (the fortune of subordinates' children), and the quality of marriage in old age. Generally speaking, those with a well-developed chin are more generous, while those with a pointed and thin chin are more harsh and stingy, and have no land or house, so they will be poor all their lives and have a hard time in old age.

4. Men are symbolized by Tianting, because Tianting can be used to show a person’s intelligence, talent, wisdom and career luck. A woman is blessed if she has a good position in the Earth Pavilion, because the Earth Pavilion controls the fortune of children, fortune in old age and a person's blessings.

5. It is most auspicious if the upper, middle and lower parts are of equal length. If one of the parts is too short, the luck of the short part will be bad. Example: If the middle part of the mouth is too short, luck will be bad from the age of 31 to 50. The upper and middle parts imitated it.

6. The six organs refer to the two auxiliary bones, two cheekbones and two chin bones. It is auspicious if the six parts are full and complementary. It is unlucky if they are fragmented, sunken, with bad moles, marks, or exposed.

The above is an introduction to physiognomy: the general theory of the three stops and six palaces. For more content, please pay attention to the physiognomy analysis special topic on the Dream Interpreter website.