In Chinese, Mian is face while Xiang is appearance. Together it is known as Chinese Face Reading.
Mian Xiang has a history that goes back to the time of Huang Di or the Yellow Emperor (2700 – 2150 BC). It was used together with other techniques such as pulse analysis etc as a diagnostic tool in Chinese medicine.
Beside medicine, it was also developed as a tool to interpret a person’s character and traits, his destiny, fortune and luck throughout his life.
The shape, structure and features on the face can reveal a lot of information about that person and this documented in many ancient texts on Mian Xiang. For example someone with a high, broad and unblemished forehead is likely to go far in his career. At a more advance level it includes moles, speech, gestures, facial expressions etc.
Other cultures such as the ancient Greek and Indians have also developed face reading. It is however mostly limited to reading character and traits.
Chinese face reading used in ancient times for selecting suitable candidates for Imperial positions. It was not uncommon in those days for people to not have accurate birth records. Trying to determine the candidate’s ability and destiny using astrology is not possible without accurate birth records. Also while birth data can be faked to exaggerate the candidate’s ability and destiny, the face cannot!
Nowadays some large Chinese owned corporation still make use of face reading when selecting top executives. For example someone with a good nose and cheeks will have the good luck between the ages of 41 to 50. And the selected candidate’s good luck will translate to gains for the corporation.
In the old days of arranged marriages the task of selecting a suitable wife for the son falls in the hands of the parents. Mother-in-laws are known to use face reading to select suitable wife/wives who can bring good fortune to their sons. Daughters with “Prosper Husband Benefit Children” facial features are highly sought after!
It is very common for potential Chinese business partners to ask each others for their date and time of birth to assess compatibility and business luck. However if you are not familiar with person or he comes from a different culture it can be awkward to do so. Mian Xiang can be a very effective non-intrusive analysis tool.
Acquiring the ability to read someone’s face is an invaluable skill. We are often required to size up a person and form a conclusion after a single meeting. Having the skill allows you to gain quickly an insight about the person and make informed decisions.
