TL;DR: The Lower Mansion is one of the Six Mansions, representing the jawbone and chin area, reflecting one's later years, endurance, and stability. Full and balanced jawbones are often considered good signs, indicating strong willpower and blessings in old age. Conversely, crooked, pointed, or weak jawbones may suggest indecisiveness or a turbulent life path.
What are the Six Mansions and where is the Lower Mansion located?
In Eastern physiognomy, the human face is divided into Tam Đình (three parts: Upper Court, Middle Court, Lower Court) and Ngũ Nhạc (five mountains: forehead, nose, chin, the two cheekbones). Besides that, the Lục Phủ (six storehouses) system is an important way of dividing the face, used to assess a person's prosperity, ability and destiny through the hollows or raised bones on the face.
Lục Phủ (the Six Mansions) include:
- Nhật Nguyệt Phủ (Sun and Moon Mansions, the two sides of the forehead, the temple area)
- Biên Địa Phủ (Frontier Mansion, the brow bone area, above the outer corner of the eye)
- Quyền Cốt Phủ (Cheekbone Mansion, the two cheekbones)
- Tân Khố Phủ (Treasury Mansion, the area below the eyes, the lower cheekbones)
- Hàm Trì Phủ (Jaw Pool Mansion, the lower jawbone area)
- Hạ Phủ (Lower Mansion, the jawbone and chin area)
Among these, the Hạ Phủ (Lower Mansion) sits at the very bottom of the face, surrounding the mouth and chin. It is regarded as the place that holds a person's "granary", symbolising late-life fortune, health and endurance. If the other mansions such as Nhật Nguyệt Phủ or Quyền Cốt Phủ represent early and middle life, then the Hạ Phủ decides much of a person's fate in old age.
Table classifying the three types of jawbone in the Lower Mansion according to physiognomy, with the corresponding character and life course.
| Type of jawbone | Character | Life course |
|---|---|---|
| Square, full | Strong will, decisive, persistent | Success from middle age onward |
| Pointed, tapered | Sensitive, refined, prone to indecision | Late-life fortune may not be steady |
| Crooked, asymmetrical | Instability in life | Many ups and downs, hard to keep finances or relationships stable |
How is the Lower Mansion observed in physiognomy?
To assess the Lower Mansion, a physiognomist usually observes three main factors: the shape of the jawbone, the fullness of the flesh and its balance with the other parts.
What does the shape of the jawbone say?
The jawbone (also called the lower jaw) forms the frame of the lower face. In physiognomy, jawbones are divided into three common types:
- Square, full jawbone: This is the best configuration. People with a square, thick, well-developed jaw usually have a strong will, are decisive, and persist in pursuing their goals. They endure pressure well and often achieve success from middle age onward.
- Pointed, tapered jawbone: People with a pointed, tapered jaw are usually sensitive and refined, but prone to indecision. They tend to depend on others for important decisions, and their late-life fortune may not be steady.
- Crooked, asymmetrical jawbone: If the two sides of the jaw are uneven, one higher and one lower, this is a sign of instability in life. Such a person may meet many ups and downs, and find it hard to keep financial stability or long-lasting relationships.
What does the fullness of the flesh in the Lower Mansion mean?
It is not only the bone; the flesh surrounding the jaw area also matters greatly. According to traditional belief, if this area is full and firm, without the bone showing too much, then the person has good fortune, lives long, and enjoys blessings and prosperity in old age. Conversely, if the flesh is thin, the skin clinging to the bone, or there are many deep wrinkles, it may be a sign of hardship, toil or loneliness in old age.
What does the balance of the Lower Mansion with the face mean?
The Lower Mansion cannot be read in isolation but must be placed within the face as a whole. The ancients had a saying: "A broad jaw with a narrow forehead, hard to achieve great things; a broad forehead with a narrow jaw, thin fortune in old age." Therefore, a harmonious face is one where the Lower Mansion is proportionate to the Upper Court (forehead) and the Middle Court (nose, cheekbones). If the upper part is broad and the lower part narrow, the person may rise early but weaken later. Conversely, if the lower part is fuller than the upper part, it is usually a person with good late-life fortune, succeeding late but steadily.
How does the Lower Mansion relate to the other parts?
Relation to the mouth and chin
The Lower Mansion lies directly below the mouth and surrounds the chin, so it has a close relationship with these two parts. A person with upturned mouth corners (a smiling mouth) combined with a full jaw is usually optimistic, attracts benefactors easily, and has a happy family life. Conversely, a drooping mouth with sunken jaws is usually the look of an anxious, pessimistic person who easily runs into gossip and trouble.
Relation to the ears
In physiognomy, the ears and the lower jaw are linked. If the ears are thick, large and set high, combined with a square jaw, that is a greatly noble configuration, one that can hold power. If the ears are small and thin, with a weak jaw on top of that, then even with talent it is hard to sustain.
Relation to the neck and shoulders
The Lower Mansion area borders the neck, so it also reflects something of the health of the skeletal and joint system. People with a strong, firm jaw usually have a sturdy neck and broad shoulders, showing endurance and few illnesses.
What is the moral and psychological meaning of the Lower Mansion?
Beyond destiny, the Lower Mansion is also used to read certain character traits:
- People with a broad, square jaw: Usually practical, principled, with a strong sense of responsibility. They dislike vagueness and always want to control the situation. The weakness is that they are sometimes rigid and inflexible.
- People with a small, round jaw: Easy to approach, gentle in communication, good at listening. However, they are easily swayed and lack firm opinions of their own.
- People with a jaw that juts forward: This configuration shows a competitive nature, a fondness for arguing, sometimes with a touch of aggressiveness.
- People with a jaw that recedes inward: These are inward-looking people, prone to self-doubt, who rarely express their personal views.
The Lower Mansion and late-life fortune
In physiognomy, the forehead area determines fortune in youth (up to about age 30), the nose and cheekbone area determines middle life (from 30 to 50), while the chin and jaw area determines late life (after 50). Therefore, a good Lower Mansion helps a person have a leisurely, prosperous life in old age. Conversely, if the Lower Mansion is poor, then even if a person has fame and money when young, the end of life may easily fall into loneliness and loss of wealth.
Specifically, people with a good Lower Mansion usually:
- Live long, with few illnesses.
- Have dutiful children and grandchildren to rely on.
- Keep their wealth, without it being scattered.
- Stay clear-minded and optimistic.
People with a poor Lower Mansion usually:
- Often meet obstacles in family matters and with children.
- Have weak health, especially illnesses of the bones and joints, teeth and mouth.
- Easily fall into loneliness, lacking anyone to care for them in old age.
Points to note when reading the Lower Mansion
Physiognomy is not an exact science, and reading faces is only for reference. A few important notes:
- Do not read a single part in isolation: The Lower Mansion is only meaningful when placed in relation to the whole face and other factors such as spirit, voice and bearing.
- Appearance follows the mind: The ancients believed that appearance can change with one's thoughts and behaviour. A person with a poor Lower Mansion who lives uprightly and cultivates body and mind may still see their fate turn for the better.
- Do not apply it rigidly: A good configuration does not guarantee success, and a poor one does not mean failure. Personal effort and social circumstances play an important role.
