physiognomic characteristics of a face

central page of face contours


Page 1.

human half-face
western physiognomy
knowledge of a nature
general laws of physiognomy
symbolical contours of faces
human characters
physiognomic examples
human faces in profile

physiognomy of human face

 

Formal contours of faces in physiognomy.
The first page represents information which are necessary for physiognomic images and commenting texts in gallery which shows symbolical contours of a human face in profile that is possible to use for studies of human faces and characters in physiognomy.

gallery of half faces

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Hexagrams I Ching and formal facial contours.

Canon of a human face in profile.
Physiognomic characteristics of a man.

Contours of half-faces mean character of a man and allow to give psychological characteristics of  personalities.
Physiognomic outlines of a half-face correspond with positions of lines in Hexagrams of the I Ching canon that allows to systematize various outlines (contours) which human faces have, by means of universal mathematical system which are the I Ching canon. Namely the human face can be divided into six levels which can be compared to positions of lines in Hexagrams I Ching:
- line on the top sixth position designates a forehead;
- line on the fifth position designates eyebrows;
- line on the fourth position designates a nose bridge;
- line on the third position designates a nose;
- line on the second position designates lips;
- line on the first bottom position designates a chin.
If position in Hexagram is occupied with the entire line then the appropriate level of a face has the increased sizes, and if the position is occupied with the break line then the appropriate level of a face has the reduced sizes.
Entire lines are considered as strong and designate the expressed facial levels and also the appropriate strong character traits. Break lines are considered as weak and designate the not expressed facial levels and also the appropriate weak character traits.
The expressed and not expressed levels of a face in gallery of physiognomic images are designated by the white contour.
The increase or decrease of the sizes occurs concerning average values. For example, 1st Hexagram symbolizes the maximal sizes as all lines are strong, and 2nd Hexagram symbolizes the minimal sizes as all lines are weak.
The maximal and minimal sizes in gallery of physiognomic images are designated as max (maximum) and min (minimum).
Average values of the sizes are individual for each man and consequently preliminary at the physiognomic analysis it is necessary to determine the average sizes of the concrete human face, and after that it is possible to consider deviations aside increases or decreases concerning prospective average sizes. Provided that the physiognomic images in gallery designate the general sizes which can be inexact in relation to the concrete human face, and consequently it is necessary to choose the most similar physiognomic images visually.
Deviations of the physiognomic sizes to a maximum or a minimum are defined by antonymous definitions:
not advanced (1) - sufficient (5);
insignificant (2) - increased (4);
weak (3) - strong (3);
reduced (decreased) (4) - significant (2);
insufficient (5) - advanced (1);
not expressed (6) - expressed (6).
Antonymous definitions form linguistic and arithmetic system according to which each word is used in the event that the rules of definition answer parameters of a Hexagram. For example, the strong line defines the advanced character traits and weak lines define insufficient character traits if the Hexagram has 1 strong line and 5 weak lines. Numbers in brackets specify the arithmetic rules which establish parities of antonymous definitions with quantity of weak and strong lines in Hexagrams.
Such linguistic system of antonymous definitions is applied that with the help of the expressionism of words to express ratio of weak and strong lines in Hexagrams of the I Ching canon, and to express the appropriate ratio of strong and weak character traits, namely to express extent of displays of the character traits. But the expressionism of words does not mean bad or good characteristics, and mean only a quantitative ratio of the expressed (increased) and not expressed (decreased) character traits.
Excuse if the English translation of antonymous definitions does not correspond to the Russian expressionism of words.
Thus contours of a human half-face mean psychological tendencies which are determined by the increased or decreased facial levels and correspond to character traits (psychological features), and also correspond with positions of lines in Hexagrams of the I Ching canon.

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General characteristics of psychological features:
- forehead is synthesizing consciousness and fantasies;
- eyebrows are analytical consciousness and opinions;
- nose bridge is a reputation;
- nose is a personal image;
- lips are sensual instincts;
- chin is an energy.
The forehead, nose bridge, lips are indefinite qualities (psychological features).
The chin, nose, eyebrows are concrete qualities (psychological features).
Terms "indefinite and concrete qualities" are conditional definitions which specify relative positions of lines in Hexagrams and the appropriate relative positions which physiognomic features of a human face have. It is possible to speak that the consciousness, reputation and instincts are indefinite qualities of a person, and the personal image, energy and opinions are concrete qualities, that is connected to positional structure of lines in Hexagrams of the I Ching canon.

The forehead characterizes:
- philosophical imagination (6) (1-5);
- associative mentality (2-4);
- theoretical intelligence (3-3).
Eyebrows characterize:
- systematized consciousness (6) (1-5);
- methodical thinking (2-4);
- practical mind (3-3).
The nose bridge characterizes:
- authoritative ruling features (6) (1-5);
- official and administrative abilities (2-4);
- leading role (3-3).
The nose characterizes:
- eccentric individuality (6) (1-5);
- demonstrative essence (2-4);
- self-confidence of an individual (3-3).
Lips characterize:
- instincts (6) (1-5);
- physiological nature (2-4);
- sensuality and vitality (3-3).
The chin characterizes:
- self-control (6) (1-5);
- stability of will (2-4);
- vital force (3-3).

In commenting texts these psychological definitions are given in combinations to antonymous definitions and are used according to a quantitative ratio of strong and weak lines in Hexagrams I Ching. Namely if a Hexagram has 6 identical strong or weak lines then I use psychological definitions which in the given list are designated by figure (6). If a Hexagram has 1 strong and 5 weak lines or 1 weak and 5 strong lines then I use psychological definitions which are designated by figures (1-5). If a Hexagram has 2 strong and 4 weak lines or 2 weak and 4 strong lines then I use psychological definitions which are designated by figures (2-4). If a Hexagram has 3 strong and 3 weak lines then I use psychological definitions which are designated by figures (3-3).
Thus commenting texts in gallery are combinations of word collocations which are connected to positions of lines in Hexagrams I Ching and correspond with physiognomic images in the certain order. Namely word collocations concern to those or others Hexagrams in the event that linguistic and arithmetic parameters suppose it, namely parities of word collocations with physiognomic images submits to arithmetic rules (algorithms) which are caused by logic structure of the canon I Ching.
Terminology of the offered characteristics is not strictly psychological, but are terms which are applied in a context of physiognomy. Use of this terminology is necessary to designate psychological characteristics which also can be made according to any system of psychological or physiognomic characteristics. Namely it is possible to use the offered gallery of physiognomic images as the visual aid for observation of human features which have dependence on outlines of half-faces, and it is possible to use the offered commenting texts or to apply other psychological systems of personal descriptions. And also it is possible to supplement offered texts with other psychological or physiognomic definitions and characteristics which can be known from various books on psychology or physiognomy.
Physiognomic images in gallery have the multilayered design which unites some contours of a schematic human face, that shows different conformity of six facial levels with logic structure of Hexagrams in the I Ching canon.
According to concepts of the canon of changes 1st, 3rd, 5th positions in Hexagrams are strong and are pertinent for entire lines, and 2nd, 4th, 6th positions are weak and are pertinent for break lines.
Strong positions correspond to the chin, nose, eyebrows which have the increased outlines, and weak positions correspond to the nose bridge, forehead, lips which have the decreased outlines.
Strong positions correspond to concrete qualities and weak positions correspond to non concrete qualities of a person.
If entire lines are on strong positions and if break lines are on weak positions then are pertinent, and if entire lines are on weak positions and if break lines are on strong positions then are impertinent.
If a line in Hexagram is pertinent then the appropriate character trait determines adequate behavior of a person. It means even if the line is break and characterizes the not expressed features of a face then nevertheless the appropriate facial level symbolizes adequate behavior from the point of view of physiognomy. For example, a weak leading role at the break line on 4th pertinent position can mean that the man does not aspire to predominate over people. Speech about the not expressed nose bridge which means a weak leading role, that corresponds to a break line in Hexagram I Ching on 4th pertinent position.
Namely break or entire lines do not mean bad or good characteristics of a man, but mean the expressed or not expressed character traits which determine adequate behavior in the event that positional arrangements of lines in the system of Hexagrams are pertinent.
Impertinent arrangements of lines in positional system of Hexagrams specify the exalted character traits which mean that the behavior of a person can be inadequate.
If the entire line is on an impertinent position then the appropriate exalted character trait is expressed but is shown as not expressed. And if the break line is on an impertinent position then the appropriate exalted character trait is not expressed but is shown as expressed. Namely the exalted character traits can be shown with opposite values.
Namely the man can realize inferiority of exalted character traits and conceal these psychological features. Or on the contrary, exalted character traits can cause abnormal activity, that is the person can declare exaltation of psychological features.
But it is necessary to take into account that entire and break impertinent lines in Hexagrams and appropriate expressed or not expressed exaltations of human psychological features do not mean negative or positive characteristics, but specify a fact of non-standard behavior of a man.
The grey contours show facial sizes depending on relevance (pertinence) and irrelevance (impertinence) of lines in positional system of Hexagrams I Ching in gallery of physiognomic images. One unchangeable grey contour designates the average sizes and the second changeable grey contour designates the varied sizes. Namely if a line is on a pertinent position then the varied contour at appropriate level of a half-face does not deviate the average sizes, and if a line is on an impertinent position then the varied contour deviates the average sizes. And the varied contour deviates aside increases of the size if the entire line has irrelevance, and deviates aside decreases if the break line has irrelevance.
Thus the white contour of physiognomic images in gallery shows the expressed and not expressed character traits which are connected to entire and break lines in Hexagrams I Ching, and grey contours pay attention on exaltations of character traits which are connected to relevant and irrelevant positions of lines. Different contours of physiognomic images show different parities of lines in Hexagrams with features of a human face that allows to use various systems of descriptions for human character.
Two systems describe different aspects of a person. According to the white contour it is possible to estimate expressed or not expressed character traits, and according to grey contours it is possible to estimate the exalted characteristics.
Grey contours do not designate the valid increase or decrease of facial sizes, but grey contours are the visual scheme which allows to see and allocate the exalted levels of a face. That is grey contours cannot be compared to the concrete face directly as they are not actual, but are intended to determine the exalted features and to supplement psychological characteristics which are made according to actual white contours.
Grey contours are not actual, namely are not intended for comparison with half-faces of concrete people, but nevertheless in grey contours it is possible to find conformity with concrete human faces in the event that the exalted character traits are confirmed with outlines of half-faces.

The given information has enough for use of gallery of physiognomic images in which formal sizes of contours of a human face are seen in profile and are realized according to structural logic of Hexagrams in the I Ching canon.
In end of this brief review it is necessary to specify that it is impossible to consider psychological features of human character separately as each psychological feature is interconnected to others. It is necessary to describe the general psychological or physiognomic portrait in which it is necessary to take into account all characteristics.

The following page represents some physiognomic examples according to which it is possible to compare faces of real people to the symbolical images in gallery.

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