Few of us know it, but our face says a lot about our state of health and even our personality. Reading and interpreting facial features is an art that has been known in China for thousands of years. It is called Mian Xiang.
This art draws on the Five Elements theory to highlight a person's facial features and associate them with a particular element.
An angular face, a rounded forehead, a prominent chin… Discover the characteristics of Fire, Wood, Metal, Earth and Water faces.
Mian Xiang
Mian Xiang is an ancient Taoist art inspired by the Yi Jing that consists of face reading. It makes it possible to decipher a person's character and also to identify more than two thirds of their health problems from their facial features!
As with many Taoist practices, this art draws on the concept of the Five Elements to broaden its scope, notably by emphasising the importance of balance between the different parts of the face.
So each feature of a face (the shape of the chin and face, the size of the forehead and eyes…) can be associated with an element. The more characteristics of an element a person has, the more their personality will be marked by it.
5 face types
The Fire face
The Fire face is characterised by a narrow forehead and a wide chin and jaw. It looks like a triangle resting on its base. The complexion is reddish, like the colour of its element, and the shapes of the face are angular and pointed, like flames. People with a Fire face have an expressive, sparkling gaze that comes alive with emotion. As Fire is associated with strength, Fire faces tend to naturally display strength and authority.
According to the theory, a Fire face is unbalanced if:
- The lips (associated with Water) are too thick.
- The mouth is too wide.
The Metal face
A balanced Metal face has a high, tall and wide forehead. The overall shape is longer than it is wide, and the face is neither too chubby nor too soft. Such characteristics would indicate an excess of Water, which would show up in the person as an excess of emotion.
As Metal is a sign of authority and justice, the Metal face should express a certain responsibility or a certain power. The complexion is pale, white being the colour of Metal. The chin is strong and wide, and the head is attached to a fairly muscular, well-built body.
An unbalanced Metal face shows up as:
- A mouth that is too wide or round: as the mouth belongs to the Water element, an excess of Water in a Metal face is characteristic of people who are too sentimental or very emotional and who, as a result, are unable to make reliable decisions.
- A forehead (Fire) that is too narrow.
- A thick head of hair: having too much hair is a characteristic of the Wood element. As Metal controls Wood, hair that is too strong can indicate a tendency towards conflict.
The Wood face
Wood faces have the shape of an inverted triangle, or an angular shape with a narrow or pointed chin, a wide forehead and abundant hair. They are generally attached to a tall, sturdy body. A pointed chin is a sign of good intuition and of balance between sensitivity and oversensitivity (exaggerated, misplaced sensitivity). Fleshy earlobes are seen as keeping sentimentality and improvidence at bay and favouring a good life strategy.
An unbalanced Wood face shows up as:
- A soft, plump or obese torso: such a combination would be a sign of an excess of Water. Water drowns Wood… so this would lead to a lack of purpose in life and anxiety.
- Small eyes: which would indicate an inability to express oneself coherently.
- A face attached to a small body: this shows a lack of roots and a feeling of being challenged by life. These people can therefore be tense and aggressive.
- Little hair or unhealthy hair: signs of bad luck, unease, a spirit of revenge and vengeance.
The Water face
The Water face is round, with a chubby look and a matt complexion. People with a Water face tend to have smaller eyes, which can even seem to "disappear" when they smile. This type of face is generally attached to a plump, well-padded body.
An unbalanced Water face shows up as:
- A face that is too angular or too muscular: Water doesn't like angles.
- A thin body, a sign of Qi deficiency.
- Eyes (Fire) that are too large or too expressive.
The Earth face
A balanced Earth face is angular or square, whether the face and head are long or short. The mouth and nose are wide and the ears are large. This type of face is fleshy but not excessively soft: Earth likes sturdy, well-built bodies that give an overall impression of stability. So the body is broad, strong and muscular.
Conversely, a tall, thin body can indicate a lack of self-confidence, resentment and touchiness.
Every facial feature has its element! And you, what type of face do you have?