The face is read as
twelve fixed regions
Physiognomy is not about impressions — it is map-reading. From forehead to chin, the face is divided into twelve regions, and each region is assigned an area of life. Which region governs what is fixed; what differs between people is only the shape of that region.
Plate IThe twelve palaces — FRONTAL ASPECT
Table 1Legend
| № | PALACE | WHERE | GOVERNS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 官祿 Career | centre forehead | office, reputation |
| 2 | 父母 Parents | upper forehead | parents, origins |
| 3 | 福德 Fortune | forehead sides | ease, blessing |
| 4 | 遷移 Travel | temples | movement, journeys |
| 5 | 命宮 Life | between the brows | the centre of a person |
| 6 | 兄弟 Siblings | eyebrows | siblings, friends |
| 7 | 田宅 Property | upper eyelid | home, land |
| 8 | 妻妾 Spouse | outer eye corner | partner |
| 9 | 男女 Children | under the eyes | children |
| 10 | 疾厄 Health | bridge of nose | illness, hardship |
| 11 | 財帛 Wealth | the nose | wealth |
| 12 | 奴僕 Subordinates | jaw sides | those under you |
Names and boundaries differ between texts. This plate follows the 麻衣相法 (Ma Yi Xiang Fa) tradition.
Features mapped to the five elements
Table 2FEATURE → ELEMENT
| ELEMENT | FEATURE | SOURCE | FORCE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 木 | Eyebrows · Eyes | 眉屬木 · 目屬肝 | the reaching, growing force |
| 火 | Forehead | 五嶽 — southern peak | the revealing, shining force |
| 土 | Mouth · Cheeks | 口屬脾 | the holding, steadying force |
| 金 | Nose | 鼻屬肺 — Wealth palace | the gathering, hardening force |
| 水 | Chin · Philtrum | 五嶽 — northern peak | the flowing, storing force |
This mapping is the bridge between BaZi and face reading. When the day pillar carries Fire, the forehead is the region that receives it; when it carries Metal, the nose does. That is why a different part of the face comes alive each day.
Physiognomy is not a tool for judging people. This plate records a traditional arrangement; it cannot be used to draw conclusions about anyone\u2019s ability, character or fate from their appearance.