盖闻精之荣以须。气之荣以眉。眉也者。禀木气而侧生者也。以经络言之。则属乎手足太阳阳明矣。其有
多少疏密粗细长短之殊者。亦由气血有多少。赋禀有清浊耳。相家知其常。固可察人之贤否。医家辨其
变。亦能测病之死生。道虽不同。其揆一也。今求其法。盖有六焉。眉系倾者。胆将绝。眉冲起者。命将亡。眉睫
堕落者。疠风之证。眉毛频蹙者。疼痛之容。润泽者。血气足。枯槁者。血气衰也。至若眉中之色。前人亦有言
者。其诗曰。黄色入目一年期。黑色从眉绕目悲。若然白色连眉目。知是皮肤肺疾微。眉中若见青赤黑。远
候还须半年期。近看三五七日内。忽然暴死更无疑。然以余望之。当察泽夭以分成败。观清浊以辨阴阳。
视微甚以知虚实。四诊合参。其庶几乎。
闻之发属心。禀火气而上生。须属肾。禀水气而下生。故男子肾气外行而有须。女子宦人无须。而眉发不
异也。然分部位而言。则唇上曰髭。属手阳明。颏下曰须。属足少阴阳明。两颊曰髯。属足少阳。其经血气盛。
则美而长。气多血少。则美而短。气少血多。则少而恶。气血俱少。则其处不生。气血俱热。则黄而赤。气血俱
衰。则白而落。察其经络之部位。可知其经络之血气矣。然部位虽殊。要皆属于肾。通于经而生于冲任焉。
经曰。冲脉任脉。皆起于胞中。上循背里。为经脉之海。其浮而外者。循腹右上行。会于咽喉。别而络唇口。血
气盛则充肤热肉。血独盛则渗灌皮肤生毫毛。妇人有余于气。不足于血。以其数脱血也。冲任之脉不荣
口唇。故须不生。宦者去其宗筋。伤其冲脉。血泻不复。皮肤内结。唇口不荣。故须亦不生。天宦未尝被伤。不
脱于血。而冲任不盛。宗筋不成。有气无血。唇口不荣。故须亦不生。此皆须之常也。如因病而观之。惟疠风
有须眉堕落者。然余谓血气未衰。须色当润泽。血气已竭。须色当枯槁。其由黑而白。由白而黄者。乃壮老
之常。盛衰之变也。至若气有滑涩。血有清浊。而其须不同者。皆可以经络部位推测而知也。
It is heard that the flourishing of Jing (Essence) manifests in the beard, and the flourishing of Qi (Vital Energy) manifests in the eyebrows. The eyebrows are generated on the sides, endowed with Wood Qi. From the perspective of meridians, they belong to the Hand-Taiyang, Foot-Taiyang, Hand-Yangming, and Foot-Yangming meridians. The differences in their quantity, density, thickness, and length are due to the variations in the amount of Qi and Blood, as well as the clarity or turbidity of one's innate constitution. Physiognomists understand these normal states and can thus observe a person's virtue or vice; physicians analyze these changes and can also predict the life or death of diseases. Although the principles differ, the underlying logic is the same. Now, seeking its diagnostic methods, there are approximately six: drooping eyebrow tails indicate the exhaustion of Gallbladder Qi; upward-rushing eyebrow heads indicate the impending end of life; falling eyelashes are a sign of Leprosy (Lefeng); frequently knitted eyebrows reflect the expression of pain; moist and lustrous eyebrows indicate sufficient Qi and Blood; dry and withered eyebrows indicate declining Qi and Blood. Regarding the color within the eyebrows, predecessors have also spoken. The poem says: "Yellow entering the eyes suggests a one-year prognosis; black encircling the eyes from the eyebrows brings sorrow. If white connects the eyebrows and eyes, it indicates minor skin and Lung diseases. If green, red, or black is seen in the eyebrows, a distant prognosis requires half a year; looking closely, sudden death within three, five, or seven days leaves no doubt." However, according to my observation, one should examine luster versus withering to determine success or failure, observe clarity versus turbidity to distinguish Yin and Yang, and view severity versus mildness to know deficiency or excess. Combining these with the Four Diagnostic Methods (Inspection, Auscultation-Olfaction, Inquiry, Palpation), one would likely be correct.
It is heard that hair belongs to the Heart, growing upwards endowed with Fire Qi; beards belong to the Kidney, growing downwards endowed with Water Qi. Therefore, men grow beards as Kidney Qi flows outward, while women and eunuchs do not, yet their eyebrows and head hair remain similar. However, distinguishing by location: hair above the lips is called "Zi" (mustache), belonging to the Hand-Yangming Large Intestine Meridian; hair below the chin is called "Xu" (beard), belonging to the Foot-Shaoyin Kidney Meridian and Foot-Yangming Stomach Meridian; hair on the cheeks is called "Ran" (sideburns/beard), belonging to the Foot-Shaoyang Gallbladder Meridian. If the Qi and Blood of these meridians are abundant, the hair is beautiful and long; if Qi is abundant but Blood is scant, it is beautiful but short; if Qi is scant but Blood is abundant, it is sparse and unattractive; if both Qi and Blood are scant, hair does not grow in that area; if both Qi and Blood are hot, the hair is yellowish-red; if both Qi and Blood are declining, the hair turns white and falls out. By observing the meridian locations, one can know the state of Qi and Blood in those meridians. Although the locations differ, they all ultimately belong to the Kidney, connecting through the meridians and originating from the Chong Mai (Penetrating Vessel) and Ren Mai (Conception Vessel). The Classic states: The Chong Mai and Ren Mai both originate in the Baozhong (Uterus), ascend along the interior of the back, and serve as the Sea of the Twelve Meridians. Those floating externally ascend along the right side of the abdomen, meet at the throat, and branch to connect with the lips and mouth. Abundant Qi and Blood fill the skin and warm the flesh; exceptionally abundant Blood permeates the skin and generates fine hairs. Women have an excess of Qi and a deficiency of Blood because they frequently lose blood. Since the Chong Mai and Ren Mai cannot nourish the lips and mouth, beards do not grow. Eunuchs have had their Zongjin (Genitals) removed, damaging the Chong Mai; after blood loss fails to recover, internal skin binding occurs, and the lips and mouth are not nourished, so beards do not grow. Tianhuan (Congenital eunuchs) have not suffered trauma nor lost blood, but the Chong Mai and Ren Mai are not vigorous, the Zongjin fails to form, there is Qi but no Blood, the lips and mouth are not nourished, so beards do not grow. These are the normal conditions for beard growth. When observing due to disease, only Leprosy causes the falling of beards and eyebrows. However, I believe that if Qi and Blood have not declined, the beard color should be lustrous; if Qi and Blood are exhausted, the beard color should be withered. Turning from black to white, or from white to yellow, is the normal change from youth to old age, representing the variation of prosperity and decline. As for Qi being smooth or sluggish, and Blood being clear or turbid, leading to differences in beards, all can be inferred and known through meridian locations.