Glossary
Chinese face reading glossary
30 terms from the mian xiang tradition, with characters and pinyin. Descriptions explain where each area sits and what the tradition calls it — not what it says about anyone.
All terms
- Mian xiang 面相 miàn xiàng
- Face reading; literally “face appearance”.
- Xiang shu 相术 xiàng shù
- The art of physiognomy as a whole.
- Wu guan 五官 wǔ guān
- The five features (five “officers”).
- San ting 三停 sān tíng
- The three horizontal sections of the face.
- Shi er gong 十二宫 shí èr gōng
- The twelve palaces placed across the face.
- San cai 三才 sān cái
- Heaven, Humanity and Earth — the trio mapped onto the three sections.
- Yin tang 印堂 yìn táng
- The point between the eyebrows, where the Life Palace sits.
- Shan gen 山根 shān gēn
- “Mountain root”: the bridge of the nose between the eyes.
- Eyebrows 眉 méi
- One of the five features; the tradition titles it the Longevity Officer (保寿官). Guide →
- Eyes 眼 yǎn
- One of the five features; the tradition titles it the Inspecting Officer (监察官). Guide →
- Nose 鼻 bí
- One of the five features; the tradition titles it the Judging Officer (审辨官). Guide →
- Mouth 口 kǒu
- One of the five features; the tradition titles it the Speaking Officer (出纳官). Guide →
- Ears 耳 ěr
- One of the five features; the tradition titles it the Listening Officer (采听官). Guide →
- Forehead 额 é
- An area read alongside the five features. Guide →
- Chin 颏 kē
- An area read alongside the five features. Guide →
- Upper section 上停 shàng tíng
- From the hairline to brow line. Guide →
- Middle section 中停 zhōng tíng
- From the brow line to base of the nose. Guide →
- Lower section 下停 xià tíng
- From the base of the nose to the chin. Guide →
- Life Palace 命宫 mìng gōng
- Placed on the space between the eyebrows. Guide →
- Wealth Palace 财帛宫 cái bó gōng
- Placed on the nose, especially the tip. Guide →
- Siblings Palace 兄弟宫 xiōng dì gōng
- Placed on the eyebrows. Guide →
- Property Palace 田宅宫 tián zhái gōng
- Placed on the upper eyelid, between brow and eye. Guide →
- Children Palace 子女宫 zǐ nǚ gōng
- Placed on just below the eyes. Guide →
- Friends Palace 奴仆宫 nú pú gōng
- Placed on the lower jaw on either side of the chin. Guide →
- Spouse Palace 妻妾宫 qī qiè gōng
- Placed on the outer corners of the eyes, toward the temples. Guide →
- Wellbeing Palace 疾厄宫 jí è gōng
- Placed on the bridge of the nose between the eyes (shān gēn). Guide →
- Travel Palace 迁移宫 qiān yí gōng
- Placed on the outer upper forehead near the hairline. Guide →
- Career Palace 官禄宫 guān lù gōng
- Placed on the center of the forehead. Guide →
- Fortune Palace 福德宫 fú dé gōng
- Placed on above the outer ends of the eyebrows. Guide →
- Parents Palace 父母宫 fù mǔ gōng
- Placed on the upper forehead on either side of center. Guide →
See them on a face in the face reading chart or on your own photo.