|
|||||
|
|||||
 Quick Links AT News Update 
|
The Essential Elements of Chinese Face-ReadingBy Charles Yarborough, LAc The legendary shipping tycoon, Aristotle Onassis once said the secret to success is having a great tan. That may be true, but if Mr. Onassis had known about the ancient art of Chinese face-reading, he would have added another item to the short list of physiognomic must-haves: a great upper zone. The three physiognomic zones traditionally demarcated by Chinese face-readers include the upper zone (from forehead to eyebrows), middle zone (eyebrows to tip of nose) and lower zone (tip of nose to tip of chin). Historically, these zones represent three descending levels of Chinese cosmology: sky, man and earth. A person with a tall, wide upper zone is thought to possess a mind infused with characteristics resembling the sky. Expansiveness, sheer abstract ideation and the precipitation of nothingness into a concept; these are functions associated with a person who possesses a significant upper zone. While shepherding abstract concepts into solid, functional form may be the domain of the practical-minded, middle-zoned person, it is the upper-zoned person who supplies the inspiration. A wide forehead with a gently sloping hairline is believed to indicate a mind that is receptive to new ideas and comfortable with the interplay of contradictions. What Zones Mean It's traditionally believed that a person with a generous upper zone will find luck more easily than someone with a generous middle or lower zone. Without the creative power and expansion represented by the upper region, undertakings may be poorly conceived and doomed to misfortune. So how do we characterize the upper-zone mindset? For a Western-oriented explanation, we can look to the great William James who, in his book Principles of Psychology, summed it up: "The first time we see light ... we are it, rather than see it."1 This lack of boundary between the self and the source of inspiration is characteristic of the upper-zone person. There are many famous men and women who were supremely inspired and possessed significant upper zones. Einstein is, of course, unavoidable, as are other innovators such as Thomas Edison, Margaret Mead, Alexander Graham Bell and the Wright Brothers. While a narrow or compressed upper zone may be considered less auspicious, this isn't necessarily a character fault or an augury of difficult times. People with less significant upper zones can be great thinkers and be lucky if their small upper zones are augmented by features such as a strong chin (leadership and purpose), good-sized earlobes (wisdom) and a long, substantial nose with a high bridge (stamina, endurance). A person with a robust middle zone can often find practical solutions to problems by applying logical, progressive methodologies. People with significant lower zones often possess a talent for generating excitement in the minds of others. However, because they have a natural tendency to function best in the here and now, they may want to seek the help of middle-zoned people when executing their exciting projects and innovations. A person with a dominant lower zone can find luck if their face contains auspiciously contoured features (chin, ears and nose in particular). The lower-zoned person may be as intellectually proficient as the other facial types, but they likely need a higher level of visceral excitement in order to stay interested. Comedian Jay Leno, with his long chin, is an obvious example. While famously quick-witted and a critical thinker, he also is an enthusiastic fan of racing and collecting cars. In the Zone The upper zone is where many of life's landmarks interplay. Among them is the timeline, zigzagging down the forehead, providing a commentary on the person's life from 15 to 30 years of age. Sharing the field are areas that symbolize travel and career. The shape of the hairline tells us about family relationships. If the hairline appears jagged, there is the probability of a troubled or problematic relationship with one's family, especially in the early years. A narrow hairline (with little distance between the downward angles) suggests a person has internalized inherited familial values. The combination of these two conflicting familial connections makes for an interesting dynamic. Recently, I met a young French woman with this combination of features. In response to my query, she denied the existence of all familial influences and affinities in her life. "That's why I took my son and moved to this country," she told me. "My family has very strong ideas about how a child should be raised and they refuse to compromise. They want me to raise him their way and they're very stubborn." While she may disagree with her family's beliefs about child-rearing, she nevertheless has strong opinions of her own. Like her family, she stubbornly refuses to compromise. A Chinese face-reader might wonder: If the woman's hairline were less problematic and her brow more expansive, would she feel less constricted by, and be less rebellious against the family she is ironically beginning to resemble? It's impossible to say, though not hard to imagine. Heightened Consequence Another significant area of the forehead lies between the eyebrows and is sometimes referred to as the Imperial Stamp. This area is associated with entitlement and heightened status. A person with a wide, prominent and clearly defined Imperial Stamp is traditionally thought to be a good choice for promotion within the various branches of government. The phrase, "heightened status" is especially important, as it results in heightened consequence. A single, vertical wrinkle that dissects the Imperial Stamp down the middle is referred to as a dangling or suspended sword. It cleanly divides the yin side of the face from the yang and has several simultaneous meanings. One popular interpretation is that the bearer must be especially cautious or they will face disaster. While this message may sound ominous, it also could be understood as helpful, Confucian-minded advice: People who enjoy entitlement and social power should be ever-vigilant since their missteps will have heightened consequence. Zoned for Business People with expansive upper zones may be especially well-equipped to meet the challenge of America's evolving future. Their proficiency at thinking holistically - that is to say with their right brain - could be an unexpected asset. In his popular book, A Whole New Mind, Daniel H. Pink writes: "The well-established differences between the two hemispheres of the brain yield a powerful metaphor for interpreting our present and guiding our future. Today, the defining skills of the previous era - the 'left brain' capabilities that powered the Information Age - are necessary but no longer sufficient. And the capabilities we once disdained or thought frivolous ... increasingly will determine who flourishes and who flounders."2 The author cites the outsourcing of left-brain jobs from the United States to foreign countries and the increasing importance of (right-brain) lifestyle- and service-oriented professions. While the ideal facial structure may be one in which all three zones are equal, most faces aren't formed with such precision. Perfect balance and symmetry are merely an ideal and they may serve us best in that capacity. In the real world it's possible to compensate for less generous zones with other well-developed features and by a life of righteous action. How often have the features of our loved ones inspired ever more affection because of their peculiarity? Perfect symmetry and an expansive upper zone may represent the most direct path to an effortless, auspicious and harmonic life. But if destiny doesn't throw rose petals on our path we still have the opportunity - through our thoughts and deeds - to create balance in our lives and to present our best face to the world. References
Charles Yarborough owns Hamptons Health Circle in Pasadena, Calif. (www.hamptonshealth.com), and maintains www.chinesefacereading.net.
|
