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Meaning and Context
Ears are one of the Five Features (五官) in Chinese face reading. They are called the "Listening Officer" and are associated with wisdom, learning capacity, and in traditional Chinese medicine, kidney energy which governs constitutional vitality.
- Official name: Listening Officer (采听官)
- Age range: Governs fortune from ages 1-14
- Represents: Wisdom, learning ability, kidney energy, childhood fortune
- Ideal characteristics: Well-defined contours, thick lobes, close to head
Classical Roots
From Shenxiang Quanbian
「耳为采听官，主肾气之盛衰。」
Plain translation
"The ears are the Listening Officer, governing the strength of kidney energy." This connects ear characteristics to constitutional vitality and health.
Reading Framework
Key aspects when observing ears:
- Contour: Well-defined outer rim indicates good wisdom and fortune
- Lobes: Thick, prominent lobes suggest material fortune and longevity
- Position: Ears close to the head indicate practical thinking
- Size: Should be proportionate to the face
- Color: Ears slightly lighter than face color is favorable
How It Shows Up in FateFolio
In FateFolio's face reading, ears are analyzed for shape, proportion, and position as indicators of learning ability and constitutional strength.
Common Misconceptions
- Small ears do not indicate low intelligence — ear size is relative to face proportion
- Protruding ears have both positive and negative traditional interpretations
- The connection to kidney energy is from traditional Chinese medicine, not literal anatomy
FAQ
What do large earlobes indicate?
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Large, thick earlobes traditionally suggest good material fortune, longevity, and a generous nature. In Buddhist iconography, large earlobes are associated with wisdom and enlightenment. However, earlobe size should be interpreted in context with other features.