Abstract:In addition to the natural and social understanding of "man" such as human physiological structure, human origin, and human nature, it also includes the knowledge of human cognition centered on human objects and algae, and the content of "form method" and mathematics characterized by pushing human life. In terms of moral orientation and social ethics, the art of Xiangren in Western Xia was profoundly influenced by Confucianism and Buddhism, showing the ideological trend of integrating Confucianism and Buddhism. In terms of people, goods, and algae, the Western Xia regarded the gentleman as the ideal personality, took virtue as the main basis for appreciating characters, and classified and determined characters according to their talent endowment. In terms of pushing people's lives, the stories of physiognomy and physiognomy in the Central Plains were widely spread in the Western Xia region, showing significant instrumental, practical and utilitarian characteristics. The acceptance and introduction of physiognomy knowledge in the Western Xia reflected the inheritance and recognition of the Central Plains culture in the Western Xia to a certain extent.
Human physiognomy and demeanor not only uphold the factors of biological inheritance, but also the natural result of individuals accepting cultural habits and realizing socialization, so in addition to having physiological connotations, they also represent certain cultural significance. [1] As early as the pre-Qin period, the physiognomy method of "knowing the auspiciousness and evil spirit of the shape and color of the person"[2] had appeared. During the Qin and Han dynasties, the mathematical theory of Xiangrenshu gradually matured, and the Hanshu · Art and Literature Chronicles classified it as "form method" [3]. Since the Han and Wei dynasties, due to the need to select political talents and the implementation of the expropriation system, the inspection system, and the nine-product zhongzheng system, the humanistic appraisal activities centered on human objects and algae have flourished for a while, and have had a profound impact on society and culture. With the development of history, the ideological connotation and knowledge extension of physiognomy have gradually expanded. The narrow sense of physiognomy refers to the knowledge of the form of pushing people's lives, and the broad sense of physiognomy also includes the art of identifying the strengths and weaknesses of characters and the medical content of observing the health of the human body. The art of Xiangren had a profound impact on ancient Chinese political culture and social customs, and the relevant records of the Dunhuang Testament and the notes of the Song people show that Xiangren Art played an important role in the daily life of the people in the Tang and Song dynasties and related religious practices. [4] The Tangut culture inherited from the Tang and Song dynasties and originated from the Central Plains, so part of the knowledge of physiognomy was also preserved in the Tangut literature. However, due to the fragmentation of data, this part of the content has not yet attracted the attention of the academic community. Therefore, this paper intends to sort out and interpret the knowledge of physiognomy in the Tangut literature, in order to provide new content for the academic community to investigate the social culture of the Tangut Dynasty. 1. The understanding and description of "man" in Tangut literature The knowledge of "form and law" in ancient China is the product of the influence of concepts such as "heaven and man induction", "good and bad things", "observation of form and qi", etc., and what attention is paid to the external characteristics of the object of observation, such as situation, location, structure, bearing, etc. [6] Physiognomy is a method of speculating on people's good fortune, good fortune and misfortune, rich and poor, noble and low, poor, prosperity and withering, gain and loss, longevity, recuperation, etc. according to people's appearance, facial features, bones, complexion, posture, hand prints, voice, movement, majesty, turbidity, etc. [7], and it also absorbed part of the content of medical skills and human recognition in the process of development. Therefore, a series of natural and social understandings and concepts about the origin, development, mind, category and physical characteristics of "man" together constitute the knowledge base of physiognomy. The understanding of "human" in Tangut literature is mainly concentrated in character books, rhyme books and similar books. For example, the Western Xia and Han texts "Miscellaneous Characters · the Eighth Part of the Body" unearthed in Heishui City have the following records of the physiological structure of the human body: the top brain, chest, front lips, teeth, nose, eyebrows, eye sockets, throat, cheeks, earrings, mustache, fingers, five viscera, heart, lungs, liver, belly, waist and knees, skin, spleen, stomach, kidneys, fisters, jaws, forehead, six intestines, claws, nails, arms, shins, hips, hands, and heart[8] The above phrases involve the five senses, limbs, bones, and viscera of the human body, basically covering the main physiological parts of the human body. Similar records include the Xia and Han bilingual dictionary "Fanhan Heshi Palm Beads in the Palm · People in the Picture": the head, the head, the head, the nose, the tongue, the teeth, the teeth, the lips, the throat, the face, the ear, the ear, the hair, the eyebrows, the eyes, the neck, the chest, the shoulder, the back, the back, the flank, the heart, the lungs, the gall, the kidney, the spleen, the liver, the belly, the neck, the navel, the waist, the knees, the legs, the shins, the hands, the fingers, the claws, the heels, the joints, the flesh, the blood, the marrow, the saliva, the qi and the pulses, the body diseases, the scabies, the sores, the death, the life, the noble, the low, the honorable, the weak[9]. The names of human physiological phenomena and parts contained in the "Pearls in the Palm of the Palms of the Fanhan Dynasty· in the Portraits of People" are also found in the Western Xia rhyme book "Wenhai Baoyun", such as "head", "forehead", "eyes", "eyelids", "ears", "hanging", "mouth", "teeth", "palate", "cheeks", "lips", "throat", "neck", "shoulder", "arm", "wrist", "back", "abdomen", "waist", "buttocks", etc., in addition to words such as "tall", "short", "fat" and "thin" that reflect the appearance characteristics of the human body. [10] These words indicate that the Tangut people had a relatively comprehensive understanding of the structure of the human body. In particular, it should be noted that the "Pearls in the Palm of the Hands of the Fanhan Dynasty" includes two groups ·of words, "noble and lowly" and "honor and weakness", which to a certain extent reflects a common concept in the Western Xia society at that time, that is, the prosperity and decline of people's wealth and longevity and the prosperity and weakness of fate are related to "human appearance". In addition, the understanding of the naturalness and sociality of "man" in Tangut literature is mainly concentrated in the Tangut book Shengli Yihai. The description of "people" in the "Making Names for People" section of "Shengli Yihai" includes the following five aspects. (1) Affirming the status and dignity of human beings, the "Shengli Yihai" points out: "Human beings are the beginning of all sentient beings in the world and on the earth. [11] Youyun: "In the world and on the earth, among all living beings, the color and body are beautiful." [12] A clear affirmation of the status and dignity of the human person. This view is in line with the traditional thinking of the Central Plains, such as "Shangshu · Tai Oath": "Only heaven and earth, parents of all things." Only man, the spirit of all things", Kong Anguo said, "Born of heaven and earth, only man is precious" [13]. "Lao Tzu" Yiyun: "Therefore, the road is big, the sky is big, the earth is big, and the people are also big." There are four major domains, and people live in one of them. [14] (2) Adopting the Confucian Yuanqi Theory of Human Origin, the Confucian Yuanqi Theory holds that all things in heaven and earth, as well as human beings, are generated by the sympathy of yin and yang and the gasification of the five elements. For example, the "Book of Rites and · Rites and Fortunes" records: "The deceased has the virtue of heaven and earth, the friendship of yin and yang, the meeting of ghosts and gods, and the beauty of the five elements." [15] Zhou Dunyi also pointed out: "The truth of the infinite, the essence of the two fives, the wonderful combination and condensation." The dry road becomes a man, and the Kun road becomes a woman. The two qi are sympathetic, and all things are born and change. But people are also the most beautiful and the most spiritual. [16] "Shengli Yihai" proposes that people "rely on the virtue of heaven and earth" (man, the upper shade is shaded by heavenly virtue, and the lower strength is based on the earth), "yin and yang and shun" (because of the prosperity of yang power, yin roots and shun are born), and "five elements cover the body" (people, the upper is dependent on the five stars, and the lower is based on the five constants)[17], which is just as the "Fan Han Heshi Zhu Zhu · the Lower People" said: "Yin and yang are harmonious, and the human body is obtained." [18] The belief that human beings are born of the sympathetic nature of heaven and earth, yin and yang, and the five elements is clearly influenced by the Confucian theory of the generation of vitality. (3) The understanding of human nature and mind is influenced by the Buddhist "Theory of Dependent Origination of Tibetan Origin" and "Theory of Five Aggregates", and the "Shengli Yihai" proposes that people "rely on authenticity" (human beings have true purity, and after birth, they are troubled by karma and are infected with all kinds of nature)[19], pointing out that human nature is pure, and there are changes in good and evil due to acquired habits. This idea of "Tibetan origination" comes from Buddhism. For example, the Tang Dynasty monk Zongmi's "Treatise on the Original Man" pointed out: "All sentient beings have the true heart of rigpa, and since the beginningless, they have always lived in purity, and they have become aware of common knowledge, also known as Buddha nature, also known as Rulai Tibet." From the beginning, vain and unaware, but admitting the quality of everything, delaying the completion of the business, suffering from life and death. [20] It is believed that "all sentient beings," including human beings, have a pure and untainted nature (i.e., rigpa, true mind, Buddha nature, and nyolaizang), but because of ignorance and confusion, they are unable to realize self-awareness, and thus have many afflictions such as birth and death. In addition, "Shengli Yihai" proposes that people "rely on the great yin" (color, receiving, thinking, acting, and knowing, according to the five aggregates and all the laws, and the talents of good and evil are revealed. Earth, water, fire, and wind, according to the four major incarnations)[20], which not only holds that the human body is composed of the four elements of earth, water, fire, and wind, but also points out that the activities of the human mind are influenced by the "five aggregates" of color, receptivity, thought, action, and awareness, thus manifesting the nature of good and evil. Therefore, the understanding of human nature and mind in the "Sacred Liyi Hai" is influenced by the Buddhist "Theory of Dependent Origination" and "Five Aggregates". (4) Influenced by the idea of "heaven and man induction" and Confucian morality, "Sheng Liyihai" believes that human beings "have a head shaped like heaven", "feet and earth", "body is straight", and "are in harmony with heaven and earth"[21]. For example, Dong Zhongshu's Spring and Autumn Dew compares the parts of the human body such as hands and feet, hair, ears, eyes, mouth and nose with the phenomena of heaven and earth, such as heaven and earth, the sun and the moon, and the stars, and believes that the human body and spirit are the projections of the heavens, and clearly puts forward the views of "human secondary days" and "heaven and man induction" [22]. "Huainanzi" also proposed: "The circle of (man's) head is also like the sky, and the square of the foot is also like the earth." [23] "Harmony with heaven and earth" (the heart is in harmony with heaven and earth, and the line is the same as the sun and the moon, then see the virtue of heaven) comes from "Zhou Yi", "The husband and 'adult' are in harmony with heaven and earth, the sun and the moon are in harmony, the four seasons are in order, and the ghosts and gods are in harmony with their good fortune"[24]. It can be seen that the culture of the Central Plains, especially Confucianism, had a profound impact on the Western Xia. "Shengli Yihai" also put forward the "four righteousness of people": "There is filial piety, and benevolence is righteous." Solve the disgusting good, and the righteousness is also righteous. For the sake of humility, the courtesy is also right. Knowing the true heart, the wisdom is also right. People really have these four positives. [25] This was influenced by Mencius's "four ends of the heart." Mencius pointed out: "The heart of compassion is the end of benevolence." The heart of shame is also the end of righteousness. The heart of resignation, the end of courtesy. The heart of right and wrong, the end of wisdom. The existence of human beings is also the four ends, and the four bodies are also ......"[26] and the "Book of Filial Piety" clouds: "The nature of heaven and earth is precious, and the behavior of people is nothing greater than filial piety." [27] The Tangut people attached great importance to filial piety and put "moral filial piety" in the first place, which was influenced by the Confucian classic "The Book of Filial Piety". (5) Influenced by the Buddhist concept of good and evil and karma, "Shengli Yihai" emphasizes that people must be close to the Dharma, abandon evil and do good, and put forward "treacherous skills know violation" (the world's evil views and bad karma are known and not done), "evil skills know violation" (see the evil in the world, everyone knows that evil deeds are not done), "cultivate good laws" (recite more holy texts, always respect good laws, speak with classics, do no evil, think of silence, and do virtue), "do not be evil" (all go to the evil of sentient beings, and do not do anything according to compassion), not only "harmony with the Dharma" (the conduct of the Buddhas and sages is in harmony with the temperament), Moreover, it is necessary to "follow the people" (follow the common people, seek blessings for compassion, and make benefits), so as to achieve the goal of harmony between the upper and lower levels and the benefit of all sentient beings. [28] In terms of the daily code of conduct, special emphasis is placed on "words into sentences" (collection of grammar, knowledge of the roots of words, words into sentences, not for miscellaneous words) and "vain words" (treating relatives and enemies together, with one courtesy and compassion)[29], which should be influenced by the Buddhist precepts of not being double-tongued, not speaking badly, not lying, and not gossiping. In addition, Buddhism believes that all the sufferings and realities of living beings and their living conditions are the result of their own good and bad karma. Therefore, the article "Good and Evil in the Heart" of "Shengli Yihai" points out: "If a person cultivates good deeds, he will have a correct name in the world, and the future generations will be happy." If you do evil deeds, you will be hated by the present world, and you will be poor in the Hereafter. [30] Reflecting the influence of Buddhist karma. Therefore, "Shengli Yihai" proposes that people must be "the holy land of the king of the heart", specifically: "The righteous ritual is like ploughing, the interpretation is like planting, the practice of the ritual is like removing the power, and the fruit picking and collecting dustpan is like being a person and doing things, all of which make it a letter." People follow the five constants, observe the longevity of the road, and get the name of virtue. [31] It means that people must be conscientious, work hard, and strive to practice the five permanent ways of benevolence, righteousness, courtesy, wisdom, and faith, so that they can attain positive results and attain the blessings of longevity and virtue in this world. To sum up, the Tangut literature has a relatively in-depth understanding and elaboration of the human body structure, human origin, human nature and other issues. In terms of the origin of human beings, the Western Xia Dynasty was based on the Confucian theory of vitality, and absorbed Buddhist concepts such as "the theory of the origin of Tibetan origins" and "the theory of karmic retribution" as the ideological source in the theory of human nature, and was influenced by both Confucianism and Buddhism in terms of the concept of good and evil and morality, showing the ideological trend of Confucianism and Buddhism, which is consistent with the development of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism since the Tang and Song dynasties[32], and to a certain extent, constitutes the overall knowledge background and ideological basis of the Western Xia Xiangrenshu. 2. As an important part of the ancient physiognomy technique, the human objects and ideal personality in the Western Xia literature are the methods of identifying the virtues and talents of the characters by examining the physical appearance and spiritual bearing of the characters, and not only pay attention to the aesthetic criticism and moral judgment from the shape and bones to the gods in the specific evaluation of the people, but also advocate the organic unity of the inner spirit and the external style of the characters. The Xixia text "Class Forest" unearthed in Heishui City is a compilation of Han and Wei characters collected by the Tang Dynasty Yu Lizheng, which contains a strong style of human objects. "Class Forest" classifies and tastes characters according to their talent endowment and related deeds. Among them, there are those classified by appearance and posture, such as "beauty", "ugly" and "fat and thin"; There are categories based on skills, such as "witch doctor", "xiangzheng", "fangshu", "article", "attacking books", "good shooting", "song and dance", "music", etc.; There is a classification based on hobbies, such as "alcoholism"; There are classifications based on talents, such as "diligence", "wisdom", "intelligence", "ingenuity", "wisdom", "action", etc.; It is more classified by virtue, such as "Coats", "Honesty and Thrift", "Confucianism", "Filial Piety", "Filial Piety", "Filial Piety", "Dunxin", "Liezhi", "Renyou", "Friend", "Chastity", "Martyrdom", etc. [33] These categories of characters not only reflect the far-reaching influence of the fashion of human objects on social culture and aesthetics since the Wei and Jin dynasties, but also reflect the admiration of virtue and the praise of noble personality in the activities of human objects. The main purpose of the book is to select political talents, and because of the influence of Confucianism and etiquette, since the Eastern Han Dynasty, the cognitive criterion based on morality has become the guiding ideology of traditional Chinese art of recognizing people and physical. The collection of virtues in the Western Xia script unearthed in Heishui City is a compilation of Confucian ministers during the Chunyou period of Huanzong of the Western Xia, which points out that "employing people" is "the foundation of governance" and "knowing the law of people" is "the first thing to govern the country" [34]. The "Collection of Virtues" enshrines Confucian ethics and morality as the guideline, and cites the "Zizhi Tongjian" to expound the dialectical relationship between talent, virtue, virtue and foolishness, and believes that "those who observe people are mostly hidden in talent and left behind in virtue", so it is proposed: "Those who govern the country can first judge their virtues and then know their talents, and then they will not be able to take people properly. [35] That is, virtue is the first and fundamental criterion for knowing and employing people. The "Collection of Virtues" opposes judging people by their appearance, and cites the views of "Xunzi · Non-Phase" to explain that there is no necessary connection between the quality of people's appearance and the good and evil of the mind: the form of the husband is not as good as the heart, and the heart is not as good as the choice of behavior. Although the appearance is ugly, but the heart is good, it is not harmful to be a gentleman; Although the appearance is beautiful, but the heart is evil, it will not harm the villain. [36] According to Xunzi's view, good luck and evil lie in the good and evil of people's mental skills, and the good and evil of mental skills are also the distinguishing criteria between a gentleman and a villain[37]. Therefore, the "Collection of Virtues" draws on the "Nine Methods of Observing People" of "Zhuangzi", and puts forward the methods and standards for the selection of talents by kings: in ancient times, when a gentleman observed people, he was loyal from afar, respectful from near, and able to make many envoys, and looked at wisdom when he asked suddenly, and looked at faith when he was urgently called, and he looked at benevolence when he sent wealth, and when he was in danger, he looked at sex when he was drunk, and he looked at sex when he was drunk. Nine views to, then it is not good to be seen. [38] Zhuangzi's "Nine Methods of Observing People" is to observe the behavior and mental outlook of characters from different angles, and then comprehensively consider the merits and abilities of the characters, which has a certain degree of scientificity and rationality[39]. A similar technique of recognizing people can also be found in Xia's translation of the Chinese book Liutao[40], which states that there are fifteen types of "people whose appearance does not correspond to the situation"[41]. In view of this, "Liutao" believes that when selecting talents, it is necessary to consider many aspects, and cannot be judged only by appearances: one asks questions and looks at them; Second, it is said that the poor are resigned, in order to observe its changes; Three are said to be conspiracy with each other, in order to see its sincerity; Fourth, it is said to be clear and questionable, in order to observe its virtue; Fifth, it is said that it is made rich and incorruptible; Sixth, try to color to see its chastity; Seven said to tell it to be difficult, to see its bravery; Eight said to be drunk with wine, to observe its state. If the eight signs are ready, then the virtuous will not be good. [42] After clarifying the specific methods of the character of Pinzao, the "Collection of Virtues" defines the "gentleman" as the ideal personality, and elaborates on the endowment, talent, and virtue that a gentleman should have. The Collection of Virtues points out that a gentleman should possess various virtues such as generosity, integrity, humility, steadfastness, and wisdom, and "know the three talents", "know the six arts", "respect the five beauties", "screen the four evils", "remove the three confusions", "give birth to nine thoughts", "fear the four knowledges", and "observe the three learnings"[43]. The so-called "gentleman, talented, not stingy with floating wealth, no trouble in the prime of life, sex is pure, slander is not hateful, humble and unreserved, in the dust is not stained, in the desire without desire, the heart has no evil deeds, wisdom to help others, do not show their own deeds, do not seek fame, silently act, prestige, the heart is not relaxed, not high and not wide, not ruined and not reputation, then the virtue of a gentleman is also", "A gentleman, walking with the sun and the moon, is better than the mountains and rivers, according to the four times, the heaven and the earth, such as the sun and the moon shine everywhere, such as winter and summer and give birth to its virtue, such as mountains and rivers to contain all things", "A gentleman is not good for himself and harms others, not for others but for himself." , do not humble others and respect themselves, do not destroy others and honor themselves, do not make friends with unrighteous people, and do not repay people who form grievances", "gentlemen, give favors to others without trying to repay, do not need ill-gotten wealth, do not be subject to meritorious deeds, the ancestors of the deeds, but according to virtue and loyalty", emphasizing that "the heavens have no relatives, virtue is supplemented", so that "the gentleman is virtuous, and the Quartet praises; The lord of the city is virtuous, and the lord of the family is respected; There is virtue in the clan, and relatives are respectful; The big family is virtuous, and the family is prosperous". The discussion of "knowing people" and "gentlemen" in the "Collection of Virtues" not only reflects the importance that the Western Xia monarchs and ministers attached to the selection of talents, but also reflects that the art of knowing people centered on human objects and algae played an important role in the political culture of the Western Xia. Both the art of recognizing people and the art of physiognomy are the analysis and evaluation from the surface to the inside, from the outside to the inside, from the phenomenon to the essence, so the dialectic of appearance and virtue is also an important content in the human object. The Western Xia book "Shengli Yihai" proposed: "The supreme person in the world is beautiful in color, followed by intellect and speech. [44] At the same time, it is pointed out that there is no necessary connection between appearance and talent and morality. For example, the article "Ugly Man Neicong" in "Shengli Yihai" records: "In the past, there was an ugly man with a body length of seven feet, a face length of three feet, and a width of three feet. Wisdom and talent, the world is incomparable. [45] The article "Ugly Son's Wisdom" records: "In the past, there was an official eunuch who had no wife, and had given birth to a son, with a protruding forehead and slanted cheeks, and a nose as wide as a pig's nose. The father did not order the killing, saying that his ancestors had said that ugly people have different wisdom. Xing my family, this son also. Later, the son grew up to be an adult, with excellent literary wisdom and entered the government as an official. [46] The Western Xia text "Kind of Forest" describes the appearance of an ugly girl without salt as "a molar, deep eyes, long fingers and large knots, a high nose and a throat, fat and little hair, bending over and falling on the chest, and the skin is like paint", although it is "extremely ugly", it also emphasizes that Wuyan is "virtuous"[47]. The same example is also the mother-in-law, which is recorded in "Class Forest": "The mother-in-law, a person from the time of the Yellow Emperor, is extremely ugly." Dinazhi, the harem, and there is a woman's virtue. [48] The Shengli Yihai argues that a woman's ideal appearance and demeanor should be "neither tall nor short, with a white face, red lips, white and neat teeth, black hair, silent eyes, practicing virtue, speaking softly, being honest in heart, following good karma, and harmonizing the three karma"[49], while emphasizing the importance of consistency between the outside and the inside. The article "Ugly Woman and Inner Cong" points out: "Women should be talented and intelligent, if they only have external beauty, they will attract more disasters." In the poem: 'Men are wise and observe women's behavior, and fools value appearances.' [50] The article "beautiful on the outside and foolish on the inside" in the "name of a beautiful woman" also points out: "If a woman is beautiful on the outside but stupid on the inside, she will ruin the family if she marries her." In the poem: 'The woman is charming, harming the nine relatives. Men are frivolous, and the clan is not harmonious. [51] It is believed that judging people by their appearance is the work of fools, and that a woman's appearance does not match her virtue will bring disaster to the family. In addition, it is also noteworthy that the grading and classification of characters in Western Xia literature is also noteworthy. For example, the "Collection of Virtues" divides gentlemen into 25 types: sage, sage, wise, righteous, prudent, upright, pure, real, hidden, respectful, respectful, trustworthy, humble, both, profound, good, capable, loyal, letarian, thrifty, shepherd, intelligent, debater, knowing, and jue[52]; The "Pearls in the Palm of the Palms of the Fan and Han Dynasty" divides people into six types: saints, sages, wise men, fools, gentlemen, and villains[53]; According to the endowment and virtue, the Shengli Yihai divides the characters into nine categories: saints, benevolents, wise people, gentlemen, common people, incorruptible people, scholars, laity, and slaves, and gives a very detailed explanation of the temperament, talent, virtue, skills, and social status of each category of characters [54]. This idea of classifying characters and defining products obviously originated from the Central Plains, such as the quotation of Wenzi in Xiao Ji's Five Elements of Righteousness in the Sui Dynasty, that is, according to the idea of the five elements, people are divided into 25 types of upper and lower five products[55]. Mr. Li Fan Wen believes that the "nine products" come from the quotations of Confucius, and that the classification of the nine products in the Shengli Yihai may have been influenced by Bangu's Hanshu ·Ancient and Modern People's Tables" [56]. It should be pointed out that "Shengli Yihai" uses "Buddha nature", "Bodhisattva nature", "nature" and "human nature" as the basis for dividing the nine qualities of talent, reflecting the profound influence of Buddhist thought. In fact, the "Nine Qualities" standard of the Shengli Yihai embodies the characteristics of Confucianism and Buddhism, including the Confucian "Heaven and Man Induction" and the Five Constant Ethics and Morality, as well as the content of Buddhism that arises from all sentient beings and five aggregates, which not only integrates the Buddhist "Rulai Tibetan Theory" to improve its theory of human nature, but also mixes the content of Confucianism's theory of benevolence and goodness, and widely adopts the Confucian concept of governing the world and the theory of moral life[57]. Based on the above literature, it can be found that the Xixia paid attention to morality, took the gentleman as the ideal personality, took virtue as an important basis for appreciating the characters, and classified the characters according to their talents and endowments, indicating that the human ethics and human objects in the Central Plains since the Han and Wei dynasties also had a profound impact on the Xixia society, among which Confucian ethics and morality, Buddhist good and evil, and Buddha nature played a very important role, which also constituted the moral foundation of the Tangut Xiangrenshu to a certain extent, and became an important part of the Tangut Xiangrenshu. 3. The main purpose of the physiognomy test story in the Western Xia literature and the physiognomy of the "Physiognomy Diagram" is to predict the auspicious and unfortunate longevity and the fortune of the noble and the lowly through the person's physical appearance and spiritual bearing, and people believe that the personal destiny prospects such as official fortune, official career, longevity, health, family, wealth, marriage, and children and grandchildren, as well as the promotion and change of official positions in the short term, illness and death, financial gains and losses, travel taboos and sudden disasters can be calculated through physiognomy. The public's admiration and demand for physiognomy has given birth to the generation of professional physiognomy groups, and the circulation of a large number of physiognomy deeds has further promoted the spread of physiognomy, which intuitively reflects the people's concern and expectations for unpredictable fate and happy life. According to historical records, it is not uncommon for people to be famous for physiognomy in the past dynasties. For example, the Western Xia text "Xiangzheng of Similar ·Forests" includes 6 deeds of Xiangshi and physiognomy signs: 1 Qiao Xuanzi Weng Xiang, a native of Suiyang, Liang County. Seeing Cao Cao, he said: "The world will be in chaos, and the lord of the people is in Junhu!" 2 When Lu Houwei was in the field, Emperor Gonghui was in the field. There was an old man who walked by, and when he saw Lu Hou, he said: "Madame, the nobles of the world." Seeing Emperor Hui again, he said: "Mrs. is expensive here." "The old man went for more than a mile, and then told the ancestor with words. Gaozu asked him one by one, and the old father said: "Those who see their wives and sons are all from the king." The gentleman's appearance is unspeakable. Gao Zu said: "As my father said, I dare not forget my virtue." "Gaozu set the world, and Emperor Hui and Empress Lu are like the words of the old father. 3 Xu Shao's words will be general, Runan is also a peaceful person, and he is good at knowing people's lessons. When Cao Cao was not expensive, Shao Xiang said: "The traitor of Qingping, the hero of chaos." "laughing, deep words. Shao was not a man, avoided the chaos of Jiangzuo, and died in Yuzhang. Later Han Chinese. 4 Zhu Zhi, Peiguo people, good looks, noble and lowly, the length of life, all effective. Emperor Wen made Jianping live for the length of his life, and said: "Your Majesty Chinese New Year's Eve Jiu should be doomed." If you pass this misfortune, you will live a long life. "Later, Emperor Wen reached thirty-nine, and collapsed in case of illness. Emperor Wen will go out, take off the horse, and start with the preparation, and say: "This horse must be killed." "And if you want to get on the horse, the evil emperor is clothed and bitten the emperor's knees. The emperor was furious and assassinated his horse, all contrary to his words. out of "Wei Zhi". 5 Changyu, a native of Shu County, Xiaoming physiognomy. Every time I look in the mirror, I know that I am dying, and I don't try to hit the mirror on the ground. Later, in Shu, he sat with the ancestor Liu Bei, and beheaded him because his words were not inferior. out of "Shu Zhi". 6 Guo Pu character Jingchun, a native of Hedong. When I was young on the road, I saw a jumping child, so I got off the horse and took off my green silk cloth robe. The child asked strangely, and Pu said, "My life should be in your hands." "So don't. For more than ten years, Shi Jin Zhongshu Lang, Jin General Wang Dun Pu. The day of Pu's death was the execution of the children in the past. [58] The records of the Xiangzheng of the · of the Central Plains also spread to the territory of the Western Xia, and the protagonists of the stories were mostly political figures, especially the physiognomy narratives of Liu Bang, Empress Lü and Cao Cao, which made annotations to the Mandate of Heaven for their future appearance, and this narrative mode is also in line with the narrative tradition of physiognomy in ancient Chinese historical books. The physiognomy in ancient Chinese historical books mainly focuses on the physical writing of political figures, so as to present a specific political context and the fate of related characters, such as the physical writing of Li Jiqian and Li Yuanhao in historical books has obvious characteristics of physiognomy. The History of the Song Dynasty contains that Li Jiqian was "born with teeth"[59], and the "Continuation of the Zhitongjian Long Edition" contains Li Yuanhao's "fierce nature, high and accurate round face, and more than five feet long" [60]. This is not only to express the temperament and temperament of Li Jiqian and Li Yuanhao through specific morphological writing or bizarre morphological characteristics, but also to hint and judge their deeds and fate, revealing a strong political metaphor. Although the type of physiognomy used in the "Similar Forest · Phase" does not specify the type of physiognomy used, it is speculated that the material should be based on physiognomy. The so-called "spiritual dwelling of the hundred parts, the divine path through the five intestines, the image of pushing the three talents, and the gains and losses of the body are also faced"[61], so physiognomy is the most common and important method of physiognomy. Since the Tang and Song dynasties, the face painting "Mai Shenxiang", which has collected the masterpieces, includes the phase bones, the flesh, the heads, the forehead, the face, the eyebrows, the eyes, the nose, the people, the mouth, the lips, the tongue, the teeth, the ears, the moles and so on. "Mai Shenxiang" also divides the important parts of the face from top to bottom into 13 parts: Tianzhong, Tianting, Sikong, Zhongzheng, Yintang, Yamagen, Nianshang, Shoushang, Zhuntou, Renzhong, Mercury, Chengji, and Dige, and there are other parts around each part, a total of 146, including almost all parts of the human face. These parts can represent the nobility and lowliness of people, official affairs, good fortune and evil, virtuous and foolish, interpersonal relationships and other situations, which shows that the development of physiognomy in this period has been very detailed and mature. The physiognomy included in the Song and Yuan Dynasty folk daily book "Shilin Guangji" involves three stops, five dews, five long, short, six poles, six antis, male suspicions, female taboos, Yin Tang, mountain roots, forehead, eyebrows, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, bone method, complexion, appearance, listening voice, walking, hands, feet and other physiognomy terms, and there are special physiognomy diagrams for readers to refer to (Fig. 1), indicating that physiognomy and physiognomy knowledge such as physiognomy and physiognomy diagrams were widely circulated in Song and Yuan societies and belonged to general physiognomy knowledge. [62]
Figure 1 Face Diagram Figure 2 Western Xia "Xiangxiang Diagram" Front 3 Western Xia "Xiangxiang Diagram" back (Figure 1 is taken from Chen Yuanliang ed. "New Compilation Diagram Increases Group Book Essentials Lin Guangji", published by Xiyuan Jingshe during the Yuan Dynasty to Shun, National Archives of Japan). Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 are taken from the color edition of the first volume of the Russian-Tibetan Heishui City Documents, Shanghai Ancient Books Publishing House, 1996)
Fig. 4 The general map of the thirteen parts (taken from Hui Yangzi's "Xinkan Jingben Fengjian Xiangfa Xiang Xiang Xiang Edition", the Ming Dynasty Wanli 30th year of the Liu Mingdetang edition, Harvard University Hanhe Library collection) Heishui City unearthed a "Physiognomy Map" annotated in Tangut script, No. X2523, which can intuitively reflect the Tangut people's understanding and cognition of physiognomy (Fig. 2, Fig. 3). From the image characteristics of the Western Xia "Physiognomy Map", it can be found that the face of the figure in the picture is rounded, the facial features are distinct, the decree is prominent, and the emphasis is on realism, and the costume is a long hair tied on the right side of the collar, wearing a lotus crown, with significant Central Plains character characteristics or Taoist characteristics. From an artistic point of view, the expressions of the characters in the Western Xia Xiangxiang Diagram are dull, and the outline lines are drawn in powder, which is not as vivid and vivid as the direct drawing, but this rigid mode precisely reflects a cultural background and inheritance relationship[63] As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, this kind of figure painting style and image characteristics are more common in the Central Plains Physiognomy Diagram, which shows that the origin of the image mode of the Western Xia Xiangxiang Diagram is obviously influenced by the Central Plains culture. The following is the facial bone physiognomy and its contents recorded in the Western Xia "Physiognomy Diagram": Obverse inscription: 1 If the heavenly court is bent to the ear, then this person is extraordinary. 2 If the heavens are high, they will live a long life, be noble, and be confident. 3If the horn of the dragon rises, it has a place of honor. 4 If the heavenly canament is prominent and full, then the person is wise, faithful, powerful, and happy. 5. If the patio is beautiful...... Then this person will be distinguished and extraordinary. 6And if it be hollowed out like a furrow, then he shall have ploughed land. 7 If the gate of heaven is protruding and full, then it ...... will have. 8 If the alley is protruding and full, then the man will be noble and extraordinary. Inscription on the back: 1 If the longevity bone is prominent, then the person is noble. 2 If the lower palatine bone protrudes like a crow's tail, if it is divided into several pieces, it ...... 3 If the ears are and the neck, then the man shall be noble and extraordinary. 4 If the armor is prominent, it will be a seven-rank official. 5 If the decree is prominent, the official shall be the situ. 6 If the outer court and ...... If it is hard, it will be noble, and there will be a large number of descendants. 7…… strong and full of children; If it is dented, it will be extinguished. Facial inscription: 1 If the heavenly court bends to the ear, then this person will soar and excel. 2 dragon horns. 3 dragon horns [bones]. 4. Nail bones. 5 nasolabus. 6And if the palate bone protrudes like a crow's tail, then the man shall be noble and extraordinary. 7. Ovary bones. 8If the bones of the road are full, then the man shall be noble and excruciating. 9 days barn bones. 10 Patio Bone (Heaven Bone Firm). 11 patio bones. 12 days of door bones. 13 longevity bones. 14And if the golden hornet protrudes red, he shall have gold and power. 15 outer courtyard bones. 16 basement bones. 17 life bones. 18 And the ear shall reach the neck, and this man shall be noble and exclusive. [64] Most of the bone terms in the above inscriptions can be found in the physiognomy diagrams included in the Mai Shenxiang or Shilin Guangji, for example, the heavenly court, Tianfu, and dragon horns in the obverse inscription belong to the second part of the thirteen parts of the Mai Shenxiang, and the Tiancang, Tianjing, and Tianmen belong to the sixth part of the mountain root. [65] In addition, as shown in Table 1, most of the terms involved in the Western Xia Xiangxiang Diagram are also consistent with those of the Central Plains Xiangshu
From Table 1, it can be seen that there is a clear textual connection between the terms and occupants of the facial bone physiognomy of the Tangut Xiangxiang Tu and the Central Plains Xiangshu, and the Xiangxiangtu of the Tangut Dynasty should be borrowed from some kind of Central Plains Xiangshu. Therefore, in terms of both images and texts, the Western Xia "Xiangxiang Tu" is in the same vein as the Central Plains culture. It's just that unlike the detailed and complex occupancy parts in the Central Plains phase map, only more than 20 kinds of bone phases are marked in the Xixia "Phase Map". The reason for this may be that the space in the face diagram is limited and the writing is inconvenient; It may also be for the convenience of reference, so the scholar or the writer deliberately selected some more important and representative bone phases for labeling. Judging from its occupancy, the bone characteristics in the Western Xia's "Physiognomy Diagram" are mostly "tall", "upward", "full" and "prominent", as pointed out in the Central Plains Picture Book: "The great body is only in perfection." Those who are thick, clean, noble, fair, and gorgeous are rich if they are not expensive. [66] This is also the social psychology and belief needs reflected in the Western Xia's "Picture of Faces". As a kind of knowledge technology based on the demands of daily life, physiognomy is an important way for people to understand the world, explain their fate, and express themselves in the face of unknown prospects and unpredictable fates. According to the diagram through the face diagram, "the rich and the poor, the good and the bad, and the long and the dead, are clearly visible"[67], showing significant instrumental, practical and utilitarian characteristics. In this sense, the story of the Central Plains physiognomy and the spread of physiognomy knowledge in the Western Xia region essentially reflect a common life form, social psychology and cultural connection. 4. ConclusionAs a special kind of mathematical knowledge, physiognomy is closely related to the formation and development of the ancient concept of fate, which has been closely integrated with social life since its birth, and has profoundly affected people's ideological concepts and lifestyles. The knowledge of physiognomy in the Western Xia literature includes the knowledge of human cognition centered on human objects and algae and the content of mathematical techniques characterized by pushing human life, and at the same time, he has a relatively in-depth understanding of human structure, human origin, human nature and other issues. In terms of moral orientation and social ethics, the Western Xia Xiangrenshu was profoundly influenced by Confucianism and Buddhism, showing the ideological trend of integrating Confucianism and Buddhism. In terms of human character, the Western Xia paid attention to morality, took the gentleman as the ideal personality, took virtue as the main basis for appreciating the characters, and classified the characters according to their talent endowment, indicating that the human ethics appraisal activities popular in the Central Plains had a profound impact on the political culture and social customs of the Western Xia. In terms of pushing people's lives, the form knowledge represented by the Xixia text "Xiangxiang Tu" has significant instrumental, practical and utilitarian characteristics, which intuitively reflects the general situation and practical application of the Central Plains mathematical culture in the Xixia region. The knowledge structure and belief form reflected in the Tangut Xiangrenshu not only contain a strong sense of collective life and rich social and cultural concepts, but also show that the knowledge of form and law transmitted through the Central Plains is compatible with the belief needs of the Tangut people, and has become an important part of the Tangut society, culture and folk beliefs. The acceptance and introduction of the knowledge of physiognomy in the Western Xia also reflected, to a certain extent, the inheritance and recognition of the Central Plains culture in the historical process of ethnic exchanges.
This article was originally published in Western Xia Studies, No. 4, 2023. Hereby remarks!