Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-20
PALMISTRY IN CHINA
CENTURIES AGO THEY USED FIN
GER PRINTS TO IDENTIFY. :
Ancient Study Of the Lines of the
Hands-Foretelling the
Da
Future.

With the Chinese, pafmistry is branch
of an ancient art which includes physiog-
nomy, phrenology and general inspection
of the human body. Its origin has been
assigned to prehistoric times-the third
millennium before Christ.
The object of this art is twofold to as
certain the mental and moral characteris-
tics of persons. and to foretell happiness or
misfortune, success or failure, disease and
death. An instance is given of young
woman of the tenth century AID. who had
no brothers and was obliged to perform
some of the mourning ceremonies before
the image of her dead father. While thus
occupied she was observed by visitor who
had come to condole. 81 did not see her
face, he said, but when she grasped the
gave promise of high position" Later
on this visitor married the young woman,
and rose to be minister of state.
Restricting the inquiry to palmistry only.
an attempt will be made to show what the
Chlhese people have to say on subject
which has been much to the front of late
years. and especially in the last &c wee6s
one writer says:
Meaning Of the Lines.
"The presence of lines in the hand may
be compared with the grain of wood. II
the grain of wood is beautiful that wood
becomes known as excellent material; and
II the lines in the hand are beautiful that
hand is obviously well constituted. There
fore hand cannot but have lines on it,
those which have lines being of a higher
order than those which have none Fine
ana deep lines mean success; coarse and
shallow lines mean failure. OF the three
lines on the palm, the uppermost answers
to heaven; it connOtes sovereign or father
and AM. determines station in life. The middle
me answers to man; it connotes wisdom
or folly, and determines poverty or wealth.
The lowest line answers to earth; it con-
notes subject or mother, and determines
length of days If these three lines are
well defined and unbroken they are an ar,-
curry or happiness and wealth. Vertical
Hnes In excess mean a rebelliOus nature
and calamity; horizontal lines in excess
mean a foolish nature and Ill success A
terucaI me running up the finger means
that all plans will turn out well; random
lines, which cross the creases of the fin
gers, mean that they will fail. Lines which
are fine and resemble tangled silk mean
VIII ana beauty; coarse lines. like the grain
Oh the SCRUB oak, mean stupidity and
low estate. Lines like scattered filings
mean bitter life; lines like sprinkled rice
husks mean life of joy"
Back Of the Hand.
The hand. says the author of ."rhe Di
VINE Art is used for taking hold and this
causes INES to appear on it. 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 generatio but one whose hand
reaches only to his waist will ever be poor
ana loWty. small body and large hand
portend happiness and emolument: a large
oody and small hand, purity and poverty.
Inc chinese. however. do not confne their
investigations my to the palm only; they exam
Inc carefully the lines on the back of the
hand, thus making "cheiromancy' a better
term than palmistry. Nor do they omit
the nailsh each vadiety of which has its
own Specification. :
Tapering nails mean brains; hard and
thick nails mean old age; coarse, stumpy
nails mean dizziness of wit; broken and
sioughing nails mean disease and ill health:
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
pomp and glory; nails of haIfmoon shape
mean health and happiness; nails like cop
per tiles mean skill In arts and crafts:
nails like the end of a plank mean stanch
sincerity; nails with sharp pointed tips
mean cleverness and refinement and nails
which are rough like stone mean profound
stupidity.
In conclusion it may be pointed out in
simple justice to the Chinese, that the
wonderful system of Identification by finger
prints. which Is forcing the modern burglar
to carry on his trade in gloves, was in force
~ SLiud many centuries before 1t was
heard of in Scotland Yard. Title deeds and
other legal instruments are often found to
bear In addition to signatures, the finger
prints OF the parties concerned; sometimes,
indeed. the imprint of the whole hand
In small volume entitled Omissions
from History, published in the twelfth CEN
fury, we have the following story: "a ia
vorite concubine Of the Emperor Ming HUI
ang "a. D. 713-' having several times
dreamed that she was invited by a man to
take wine with him on the sly, spoke about
1t to the emperor. This is the work of
magician said his majesty; next time you
go. take care to leave behind you some rec
ord That very night she had the same
dream; and accordingly she seized an OPP
portunity of putting her hand on an ink
slab and then pressing it ON screen. When
she awoke she described what had happen
ed; and on secret investigation being
made the imprint of her hand was actually
found in the dawn in the east pavilion out
side the palace. The magician, however
was nowhere to be found