The Mien Shiang Institute

  • Patrician McCarthy

  • , founder

Table of Contents from The Face Reader by Patrician McCarthy, published by Dutton, 2007

You also are welcome to download a PDF of the Table of Contents here.

Author’s Note xi

Introduction 1

How Mien Shiang Can Help You in Your Everyday Life 2

The Origin of Mien Shiang 2

How I Came to Learn and Love Mien Shiang 4

Mien Shiang: A Holistic Practice for Mind, Body, Spirit 8

How to Use This Book 9

PART ONE: THE ELEMENTS OF MIEN SHIANG 11

ONE: What Is a Face? 13

Recognition 13

Communication 14

TWO: The Five Taoist Principles of Mien Shiang 19

The Principle of Harmony 19

The Principle of Entirety 20

The Principle of Qi 20

The Principle of Yin and Yang 20

  • Using Yin and Yang to Read the Face 21

The Principle of the Five Elements 24

THREE: Using the Five Elements and Their Associations to Read the Face 27

What Determines Our Five Element Constitutional Type 29

A Five Element Balancing Act 30

FOUR: Five Element Personality Tests 33

The Five Element Personality Quiz 33

The Five Element Test 38

FIVE: Characteristics and Traits of the Five Element Personalities 41

The Five Element Emotional Traits 42

  • The Defining Emotion 42
  • The Gifts and Challenges of the Emotions 43

The Qi for Each of the Five Element Body Types 44

The Wood Personality 45

The Fire Personality 53

The Earth Personality 60

The Metal Personality 67

The Water Personality 73

PART TWO: HOW WE READ FACES 81

SIX: What Do We Read on the Face? 83

Each Feature’s Own Identifiable Characteristics 84

Interpreting the Features’ Characteristics 84

Face Shapes 86

The Eight Common Face Shapes 87

SEVEN: Inherited and Acquired Facial Traits 89

Our Inherited Facial Traits 90

Our Acquired Facial Markings 92

EIGHT: How to Interpret the Gifts and Challenges of the Traits 95

Using Your Gifts and Challenges 96

NINE: The Specific Age Areas of the Face 97

Gender and the Age Areas of the Face 100

The Early-Age Markings on the Ears 100

TEN: The Two Sides of the Face 103

Unmatching Sides 104

Determining the Yin and Yang Sides of the Face 106

  • Some Exceptions 107

PART THREE: READING THE INDIVIDUAL FEATURES 109

ELEVEN: Analyzing Each Feature for Specific Traits 111

Determining the Size of the Features 113

  • Ears 114
  • Kidney Jing 115
  • Ear Size 116
  • Ear Shape 119
  • The Three Sections of the Ear: Reading for Risk Taking 122
  • Set of Ears 123
  • Ear Set and Positioning 124
  • Positioning of Ears 125
  • Reading the External Ear 127
  • Markings on the Ears Relating to Early Childhood 128
  • Helix 128
  • Ear Color 131
  • Earlobes 133
  • Ear Cartilage and Your Basic Constitution 136

Hairline 137

  • Hairline Shapes 142

Forehead 145

  • The Three Regions 146
  • Size and Shape 148
  • Markings on the Forehead 152

Brow Bones 154

  • Sizes and Shapes 155

Eyebrows 159

  • Set and Position 161
  • Texture, Shape, and Length 164
  • Markings on the Eyebrows 167

Yin Tong 169

  • Suspended Needles 170

Eyes 171

  • Size and Shape 173
  • Set and Positioning 175
  • Markings Around the Eyes 177
  • Marks of Infidelity 179

Cheeks 181

  • Size and Shape 181
  • Middle and Lower Cheeks 184
  • Markings on the Cheeks 186

Cheekbones 187

  • Set, Size, and Shape 188

Nose 194

  • Size 195
  • Length 197
  • Set and Positioning 198
  • Shape 200
  • Tip of the Nose 203
  • Markings on the Nose 204

Fa Ling Lines 206

Philtrum 208

Mouth 210

  • Sizes and Shapes of Lips and Mouth 211
  • Set and Positioning 217
  • Markings on the Mouth 219