Chinese Palmistry: Hands and Classical Pattern Names
Chinese hand-reading texts discuss fingers, palm shape and named crease patterns. The attributed Xu Fu Xiang Fa describes these features through short verses and commentary.
Hands in the attributed text
The chapter groups hand descriptions into verses. It names patterns resembling a tree, a sheep, a flag and a character, alongside observations of finger shape and palm creases. These images are the text’s own vocabulary.
Pattern names and line names
A whole-palm pattern describes how several creases form a figure. A named line describes one crease’s position and course. The classical pattern names should therefore be read with their accompanying diagram or description before matching them to modern palmistry labels.
Compare a passage
The tree-pattern verse uses 木 to name the image; another passage distinguishes a 川 pattern. Read the verse, its explanatory note and the exact pattern name together. Different editions can present the image and note differently.