The Study Of Chinese Traditional Physiognomy And Its Modernizing Transition

China is a divine land with abundant resources and gifted talents; the Chinese nation is moral and harmony; Chinese civilization is extensive and profound, and also with a long history behind it. The cultural system containing yin yang thought and the idea of heaven, earth and human being, as a part of Chinese traditional culture, is mysterious and colorful. physiognomy is a branch of this system. Since formally established in Spring and Autumn Period and Warring States, Chinese traditional physiognomy has experienced ups and downs until the Republic of China. Physiognomy was popular with the upper class and officials at the very beginning, and gradually spread into the vulgar. It had been considered as a study on "predictions" touted by the public during the feudal age. In modern times, physiognomy is tending to decline because it is considered as superstition by the official and the public in company with the development of scientific concepts. However, its use value has not been fully abandoned by the people, which could be described as implicit rather than explicit.Physiognomy consists of three elements including physiognomist, anthroposcopy and physiognomy books. They are complementary and indispensable and also indicate their own characteristics in modern society.During the Period of the Republic of China, the society was instable and the people lived without security due to frequent wars. A lot of people worked as physiognomist to dress warmly and eat one's fill. Even there were groups specially utilizing mystic cultures as business, such as "Jianghu Group". These charlatans deceived the public with humble tricks, which hindered the development of physiognomy and also made it increasingly mystical, secular, even more and more despised by the people in the world. Certainly, there were real masters of physiognomy, but very rare. As a result, physiognomists were divided into two groups including "Jianghu Group" and "Shufang Group". At that time, lots of female physiognomists emerged in an unprecedented trend, which indicated it is relatively easier to earn money as a physiognomist and also revealed the people's difficulties for their lives. In any case, the abnormal expansion of inferior physiognomists had negative effects on the society. As a result, all levels of government during the period of the Republic of China intended to put down this industry and issued a series of banning principles. However, the effect was not significant because extremely lack of social relief, vocational training and related supporting facilities for the unemployed.Impact by the science and technology of Western society, modern Chinese publishing industry is more developed, So many physiognomy books in the official have been published,there are the spread of tradition physiognomy books, and new physiognomy books in available, and translation of the Western physiognomy books, The publication of these physiognomy books give a protection of derivative for the development of traditional physiognomy culture. Of course, there is also a considerable number of manuscripts spread in the community, become a valuable research data. It is worth mentioning that, geography have a unique development in the theory, practice and concepts in the Republic of China. In theory, some physiognomy books reflect the phase of physiognomy and philosophy, psychology, physiology, anatomy and other disciplines are combined,attempt to push it to the level of scientific and academic, which trying to attract people's attention; In Practice, physiognomy studies in the appearance of people and their personality, habits, behavior that has fully discussed, at the same time, becase of the individual uniqueness and stability of the fingerprint, therefore, the physiognomy technique was applied to the judicial, legislative and administrative, did receive unexpected results, the new social values was developed, impressive everyone;In Concept, physiognomy originated in feudal times, therefore, the inevitable with its own brand of feudal, such as class differences, filial loyalty and the concept of male superiority and so on. However, with the rise of modern democracy, science and equality, there is a tendency to retreat in the feudal concept, such as the change from harsh to the tolerance relate to the standards of female-phase.The biggest change in Chinese traditional physiognomy is the conflict and integration with the western physiognomy since modern times. The westen countries opened the door of China by its hard ship and sharp artillery and then lots of western learning inflows into China and then Chinese and western, new and old culture had a series of collision and fusion. Chinese physiognomy was influenced by western physiognomy inevitably and then experienced many changes . Honestly, there must be some conflicts when different regional cultures meet together, but not incompatible. In fact, there are many western divination texts was translated into Chinese during the period of republic of China. Meanwhile, there are also many new divination texts that were fused by Chinese and western ones. Oen important characteristic of new western physiognomy was the scientific and philosophy resson and this change injectde fresh vitality into Chinese physiognomy.