Woodcut illustration from an edition of the late Ming period (1368-1644) -- physiognomic chart, showing the areas used for complexion diagnosis.Rijiao(Sun Corner): If this area appears blue/green (qing), it indicates liver disease. If it appears kingfisher green, the patient will make an excellent recovery. Blue/green is also a sign of damage by wind-cold. Yellow indicates liver deficiency, while white indicates liver excess.Yuejiao(Moon Corner): This area corresponds to the stomach. When stomach qi is not in harmony,yuejiaoappears yellow. If there is heat in the stomach, it exhibits yellow and blue/green colouring. If there is an accumulation or stagnation of toxic qi, it appears purple.Tianzhong(Mid-Heaven): This area corresponds to thesanjiao(Triple Burner). If there is heat in theshangjiao(Upper Burner),tianzhongappears yellow. If there is a stagnation of qi in thezhongjiao(Middle Burner), it appears purple. If thexiajiao(Lower Burner) has suffered cold damage, it appears white. If the malignance has penetrated to the interior, it appears blue/green.Taiyang(Great Yang): This area corresponds to the small intestine. If the patient is suffering from deficiency or impairment of original Qi (yuanqi), in conjunction with exogenous wind-cold, this area has a black border. If there is heat in the heart, it appears red. If there is 'deficiency and impairment of the lower origin' (xiayuan xusun), it appears yellowish white.Taiyin(Great Yin): This area corresponds to the lung. If the lung is affected by wind-cold, it appears bluish red. In diseases of the lung with coughing and phlegm in the throat, it appears white. If there is heat in the lung, it appears red.Xinquan(Heart's Power): When this area appears red, if it is the shade of red of a cock's comb, the patient will make an excellent recovery. However, if it is the shade of congealed blood, this indicates that there is heat in the heart and small intestine, and the patient may exhibit symptoms such as distress and restlessness, and abscesses of the mouth and tongue.Mingmen(Portal of Life): If this area appears black and scorched, this is a sign of bone steaming (guzheng) and tidal fever (chaore). Yellow in this area is associated with diseases of the spleen, white with diseases of the lung and purple with diseases of the kidney.Dige(Chamber of the Earth): This area corresponds to the bladder. If there is cold in the bladder, it appears bluish white, whereas if there is heat in the bladder, it appears reddish yellow..

Wellcome Images
Keywords: Physiognomy; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures