Taiqing shenjian 太清神鑑

Taiqing shenjian 太清神鑑 (太清神鑒) is a book on prosopomancy, the authorship of which was attributed to Wang Pu 王樸 (王朴; d. 959), who was military affairs commissioner (shumishi 樞密使) of the Later Zhou empire 後周 (951-960), one of the Five Dynasties 五代 (907-960). Wang was known as a military strategist and relied on the prognostication method of "the rules of Yin and Yang" (yinyang lüfa 陰陽律法). This book of 6 juan of length was quite probably written during the Song period 宋 (960-1279) by an anonymous author who borrowed Wang Pu's name.

The preface explains that the tradition of physiognomy has existed since ancient times, with various schools of thought sometimes agreeing and others differing. The author states that he devoted himself to this study, examining ancient teachings, validating them with modern observations, and finding them consistently effective. Thus, he chose to leave the secluded Linwu Cave 林屋洞, spending three years in the world, thoroughly researching ancient and modern sources, and compiling them into a unique, comprehensive work of his own.

The title refers to a divine mirror that can tremendously and luminously reflect all forms, phenomena, and appearances. The book presents explanative songs, wondrous formulas of prosopomancy, theoretical chapters, chapters on the influence of topography on fate and physical well-being, the specification of the Five Agents (wuxing 五行), discussions on spirit (shen 神), "energy" (qi 氣), and "colours" (se 色) of the face, i.e., the facial complexion, the relation between form and spirit (xing shen 形神), the diagnosis of individual parts of the body, and the head in particular and differences between men and women.

The book is well-organized and structured. It starts with general theories and then moves to detailed discussions, each divided into specific subtopics. The author emphasises the shaping forces of Yin and Yang, the creative powers of Heaven and earth, and the interactions of the Five Agents in nurturing and controlling each other. The principles of physiognomy prioritise bone structure, complexion, and spirit. The use of verses and "formulas" makes the book easy to understand and apply. It holds a significant influence in the history of physiognomy in China and serves as a valuable reference for studying the development of physiognomic thought.

The book was extracted from the Ming-period 明 (1368-1644) encyclopaedia Yongle dadian 永樂大典 and found entrance into the series Siku quanshu 四庫全書. It is also part of the series Mohai jinhu 墨海金壺, Shoushange congshu 守山閣叢書, Yueyatang congshu 粵雅堂叢書 and Congshu jicheng chubian 叢書集成初編.