A 3,000-Year-Old Art
Chinese face reading, known as Mian Xiang (面相), is an ancient form of physiognomy. Its origins “can be traced back over 3,000 years to the Zhou dynasty,” while Daoist tradition holds that it dates even further back, to the reign of the Yellow Emperor (c. 2698 BC).
The art was later codified in classical manuals — most famously the Song-dynasty text Ma Yi Shen Xiang (《麻衣神相》), still regarded as one of the most influential face reading classics — all built on the belief captured by the ancient proverb below.
相由心生 — Your appearance arises from your heart.
— Classical Chinese proverb