TL;DR: The Upper Palace is one of the Six Palaces, located on the forehead above the outer corners of the eyes, representing relationships with superiors and benefactors. A full and prominent Upper Palace suggests authority and favor from leaders; conversely, a sunken or blemished one often indicates career obstacles.
Overview of Lục Phủ and the position of Thượng Phủ
In Eastern physiognomy, the concepts of "Tam Đình" (the three facial regions: forehead, nose and cheekbones, chin) and "Lục Phủ" are two important axes of analysis. If Tam Đình divides the face vertically, then Lục Phủ divides it horizontally, with each side of the face having three "Phu" symmetrical across the central axis. Thượng Phủ (also called Thiên Phủ) is the region located in the upper part of the face, specifically the two sides of the forehead bones, just above the outer eye corners and extending up to near the hairline. While Trung Phủ corresponds to the two cheekbones and Hạ Phủ corresponds to the two sides of the chin, Thượng Phủ represents the highest tier of society, relationships with superiors, benefactors, and fortune during the younger years of life.
Table comparing the states of the Thượng Phủ region and the corresponding physiognomic meanings in face reading.
| State of Thượng Phủ | Meaning for personality | Meaning for relationships with superiors | Meaning for career |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full, prominent | Strong opinions, decisive, with an innate ability to organise and lead | Easy to create goodwill and be trusted, receiving patronage and promotion | Often steps up to take responsibility, entrusted with managing important projects |
| Uneven, imbalanced | Conservative, rigid, hard to cooperate with | ||
| Sunken, flat or narrow | Timid, lacking confidence before crowds or people in positions of power | Difficulty building relationships, seldom recognised, easily overlooked when promotions come around | Works hard but needs to put in more effort to prove their worth |
| Rosy, glowing skin | Easy to receive help from benefactors | A period of smooth progress | |
| Pale, dull or persistently sallow skin | Obstacles in work relationships, easily troubled by petty people | ||
| A dark mole standing out near the outer eye corner | Troubles related to power and fame, envy and jealousy from those around | ||
| A bright red mole or one hidden beneath the skin | The degree of influence is milder | ||
| A large scar or deep depression | May have been through a major upheaval affecting their career or relationships with those above them | ||
| Clean, without blemish | A relatively favourable life on the path of officialdom and career |
What are the identifying features of the Thượng Phủ region?
To accurately identify Thượng Phủ, one needs to observe the outer forehead bone region, starting from the end point of the eyebrow (the outer eye corner) and spreading upward, forming two gently raised bone masses on either side of the forehead. This region is commonly called the "forehead bone" in everyday speech, but in physiognomic method it has its own name: the "Thượng Phủ bone" or the "Tai Duong bone" (not to be confused with the Tai Duong acupoint located at the outer eyebrow). The ancients held that the vital force of heaven and earth converges and gathers at the forehead, and that Thượng Phủ is where the absorption of that essence is most clearly expressed. Therefore, observing the height, fullness, skin colour and special marks (moles, scars, wrinkles) in this region will reveal many aspects of a person's character, leadership ability and social relationships.
What is the physiognomic meaning of Thượng Phủ in its different states?
What does a full, prominent Thượng Phủ mean?
This is considered the best formation for this region. A person whose two forehead bones rise high, are full, and are balanced with the overall face is usually someone with strong opinions, decisiveness, and an innate ability to organise and lead. They easily win the goodwill and trust of those of higher status, and from there receive patronage and promotion at work. In the workplace, they are often the ones who step up to take responsibility, entrusted with the heavy duty of managing important projects. However, if this prominence becomes uneven or imbalanced, it can turn into conservatism, rigidity, and difficulty cooperating.
What does a sunken, flat or narrow Thượng Phủ mean?
In contrast to the formation above, if the Thượng Phủ region is sunken, completely flat or too narrow relative to the whole, this person may face many difficulties in building relationships with superiors. They are often hard workers but seldom recognised, easily overlooked when promotion opportunities arise, or forced to work in an environment with a great deal of unhealthy competition. In character, they tend toward timidity and lack confidence when standing before a crowd or when having to present their views to people in power. This does not mean they lack ability; rather, they need to put in more effort to prove their own worth, and should choose a working environment with less hierarchical pressure in order to develop.
What does the skin colour of the Thượng Phủ region say?
According to physiognomic method, the colour of the skin in this region reflects immediate fortune. When the skin of the Thượng Phủ region is rosy, glowing and has good vitality, that is a sign of a smooth period, when help from benefactors comes easily. Conversely, when the skin in this region becomes pale, dull or persistently sallow, it signals obstacles in work relationships and trouble from petty people. However, it should be noted that skin colour changes with health and emotions, so this should only be taken as a temporary reference factor, and one should not worry too much.
What do moles, scars and other marks on Thượng Phủ mean?
A dark mole standing out in the Thượng Phủ region, especially near the outer eye corner, is usually regarded as an unfavourable formation, hinting at envy and jealousy from those around, or troubles related to power and fame. If the mole is bright red or lies hidden beneath the skin, the degree of influence is milder. A large scar or deep depression in this region carries a similar meaning, suggesting the person may have been through a major upheaval affecting their career or relationships with those above them. Conversely, if this region is clean and without blemish, that is a sign of a relatively favourable life on the path of officialdom and career.
How does Thượng Phủ relate to other regions of the face?
Physiognomy always emphasises the whole, never considering a single part in isolation. Thượng Phủ has a close relationship with other regions of the face, especially Ấn Đường (between the eyebrows) and Mệnh Cung (the central forehead region). If Thượng Phủ is full but Ấn Đường is narrow and has deep wrinkles, this person may have leadership talent but lack tolerance, and easily offend others. Conversely, if Thượng Phủ is flat but Mệnh Cung is bright and broad, they can still achieve a certain success thanks to perseverance and virtue. In addition, the balance between the left and right Thượng Phủ is also very important. The left side usually represents the relationship with the father or a male boss, and the right side represents the mother or a female boss. If the two sides are uneven, this person may face difficulties in balancing these relationships.
How does it combine with Trung Phủ and Hạ Phủ?
Broadly speaking, when Thượng Phủ (relationships with superiors), Trung Phủ (relationships with colleagues and friends) and Hạ Phủ (relationships with subordinates and later generations) are all full and balanced, that is the formation of a person capable of handling social relationships comprehensively, likely to achieve success in their career. If Thượng Phủ is good but Trung Phủ and Hạ Phủ are poor, this person may be valued by superiors but find it hard to get close to colleagues, creating an isolating work environment. Conversely, if Thượng Phủ is poor but the other two Phu are good, they can rely on the support of friends and subordinates to compensate for the lack of good fortune in relationships with superiors.
Modern perspective and practical lessons
In today's era, from a scientific viewpoint, the features of the Thượng Phủ region largely reflect bone structure and physical development, which are influenced by genetics and nutrition. There is no scientific evidence proving a direct link between the shape of the forehead bones and personality or destiny. However, from a psychological angle, a person with a full, balanced forehead region usually has a harmonious face and easily creates a positive first impression, which indirectly brings more opportunities in social interaction. Conversely, a person with a sunken or unbalanced forehead region may feel self-conscious about their appearance, affecting their confidence and bearing before others. Therefore, instead of worrying too much about good or bad formations, each person should focus on developing real ability, building confidence and maintaining healthy relationships. Physiognomy should only be regarded as a reference tool for understanding oneself and those around us, not as an absolute prophecy about destiny.
Overview article on the topic: What is face reading? The main positions in physiognomy
