The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1905-03-23
PALM|STRY N CHINA
Branch Of an Ancient Art In
cludeS Phrynology.
DETECTION OF CRIMINALS
Origin Assigned to Prehistoric Times.
Legal Documents often Bear In
Addition to Signatures the Fin.
ger Imprint Of the Whole Hand.
Each Finger Significant.

Huuition 10 signatures inc FIN
ger Imprint OF the Whole Hand.
Each Finger Significant.
With the Chinese palmistry Is
branch of an ancient art which in
cludes physiognomy, phrenology and
general inspection of the human body.
Its origin has been assigned to pre-
historic times-the third millennium
before Christ.
"a to ascertain the mental and moral
characteristics of persons. and (2) to
foretell happiness or misfortune, sue
cess or failure, disease and death. An
instance Is given of young lady of
the tenth century A. D., who had no
brothers and was obliged to perform
some of the mourning ceremonies be-
fore the image of her dead father.
While thus occupied she was observed
by visitor who had come to condole.
IL did not see her face" he said. but
when she grasped the incense burner
l noticed that her hands gave promise
of high position" Later on this
visitor married the young lady and
rose to be a minister of state, One
writer says:
THE presence of lines In the hand
may be compared with the grain of
wood. II the grain of wood is beauti-
full that wood becomes known as eX-
cellent material, and If the lines in
the hand are beautiful that hand is
obviously well constituted Therefore
a hand cannot have but lines upon
it, those which have lines being OF
higher order than those which have
none. Fine and deep lines mean sue
cess; coarse and shallow lines mean
failure. or the three lines on the palm
the uppermost answers to heaven II
connotes sovereign or father and de-
termines station in life. The middle
line answers to man; it connotes wis
dom or folly and determines poverty
or wealth. The lowest line answers
to earth; 1t connotes subject or moth
er and determines length of days.
IL these three lines are well defined
and unbroken they are an augury OF
happiness and wealth. Vertical lines
d
and calamity; horizontal lines in ex-
cess mean foolish nature and i'll sue
cess. A vertical line running up the
finger means that all plans will turn
out we'll; random lines, which cross
the creases of the fingers. mean that
they will fail. Lines which are fine
and resemble tangled silk mean wit
and beauty; coarse lines, like the
grain of the scrub oak, mean stupid
ity and low estate. Lines like scat
tered filings mean better life. Lines
like sprinkled rice hpsks mean life
Of Joy, etc.
Says the author of the Divine
Art"
"Tbe hand is used for taking hold,
and this causes lines to appear on 1t.
If these lines are long the nature will
be kindly and generous; If short,
mean and grasping. A man whose
hand reaches below his knees will
top his generation; but one whose
hand reaches only to his waist will
ever be poor and lowly. A small boy
and large hand portend happiness
and emolument; a large body and a
small hand, purity and poverty"
The fingers, with their several
| joints. are each separately mapped
out-the commanding finger (thumb)
the tasting finger, the middle finger
the nameless finger and the little fin
ger. That part of the hand under the
influence of spring should be of a
greenish hue; summer should be red
| autumn white and winter dark. If au
tumn is red, winter yellow, spring
| white or summer dark, sorrow and
| disaster will inevitably ensue.
| The Chinese examine carefully the
lines on the back of the hand thus
making "cheiromancy' better term
than palmistry. Nor do they omit the
nails, each variety of which has its
| own signification. Tapering nails
mean brains; hard and thick nails
mean old age; coarse, stumpy nails
| mean dullness of wit; broken and
| sloughing nails mean disease and Ill
health: bright yellow nails mean
high rank to come; dark, thin nails
mean obscurity; bright greenish nails
| mean loyalty and goodness OF heart,
fresh white nails mean love of ease;
nails like sheet copper mean pomr
and glory; nails of half moon shape
mean health and happiness; nails like
copper tiles mean skill in arts and
crafts; nails like the end of plank
mean stanch sincerity; nails with
sharp pointed tips mean clevernes'
and refinement, and nails which are
rough like stone mean profound
! stupidity.
The Chinese again, who are nothing
| if not thorough, push every investiga
tion of this kind with German minute
ness to its logical conclusion. Conse
quently, when they have exhausted
palmistry they proceed to "solistry,
and extract indications from the lines
! on the feet.