Question 1

What is Chinese face reading (Mian Xiang / 面相)?

Accepted Answer

Mian Xiang (面相) is the ancient Chinese art of physiognomy — evaluating personality, fortune and life path from facial features. Rooted in Daoist tradition, it analyzes the Three Courts (三停), Twelve Palaces (十二宮), Five Officials (五官) and Five Elements (五行) face types.

Question 2

How old is Chinese face reading?

Accepted Answer

The origins of Chinese face reading can be traced back over 3,000 years to the Zhou dynasty, and Daoist tradition holds it dates to the reign of the Yellow Emperor (c. 2698 BC). It was later systematized in classics such as the Song-dynasty manual Ma Yi Shen Xiang (麻衣神相).

Question 3

What are the Twelve Palaces (十二宮) in face reading?

Accepted Answer

The Twelve Palaces are twelve positions on the face — such as the Career Palace (forehead) and Wealth Palace (nose) — that symbolize the success, failure, fortune, and misfortune in a person's life.