Gwansang's most forward-thinking idea: valuing character over shape.
The mouth is the Chulnapgwan (出納官, Office of Exchange) among the Five Offices. As the name suggests, it's the window for sending out and taking in. Since it's the only gateway where words go out and food comes in, people in the past read the mouth as how someone exchanges with the world.
There's one thing about the mouth that no other feature has: its shape changes more with emotion than anything else. The nose and ears stay the same when you smile, but the mouth changes completely. That's why you should always check it with a fully relaxed, neutral expression. Measuring from a smiling photo gives a completely different answer.
What you pick gets saved, and we'll bring it all together in the final Overview chapter. You can always change it later.
In traditional face reading, the mouth is called the Office of Exchange, the "intake and outflow" seat — read for both how wide it opens and what expression it opens with. For an accurate read, measure it with the face fully relaxed, no expression at all.
Closed, the corners of the mouth extend past the inner edge of the pupils on both sides.
This tends to be an expansive type who sets things in motion and draws people in. Tradition read it as a sign of a large capacity and natural leadership.
The corners of the mouth line up roughly with the inner edge of the pupils.
This tends to be a well-balanced type, with the strength to start things and the strength to hold onto them in equal measure. It was traditionally read as someone who fits in comfortably in any setting.
The corners of the mouth fall inside the inner edge of the pupils.
This tends to be a precise type who follows through on even small matters. Rather than taking on a lot at once, it was traditionally read as a sign of reliability in keeping promises and finishing what's started.
With the face relaxed and neutral, the corners of the mouth sit higher than the center.
This tends to be a sociable type who reaches out first and lightens the mood. Tradition read this as one of the most favorable mouth shapes — a form that draws people and good fortune alike.
With the face relaxed, the line of the mouth runs straight and level from side to side.
This tends to be an even-tempered type whose words carry weight. It was traditionally read as someone who, once decided, isn't easily swayed.
With the face relaxed, the corners of the mouth droop below the center.
This tends to be a composed type, slow to get swept up and quick to observe a situation for a long while. It was traditionally read as having a sharp eye for problems that others miss.
Let's touch on the term gudeok (口德). It's a concept gwansang weighed just as heavily as shape when reading the mouth. It means the virtue you build through your words — and classical texts held that no matter how favorable the mouth's shape, harsh words scatter whatever fortune that shape carries.
This is one of the most forward-thinking ideas within gwansang itself. It says the outcome isn't fixed by the shape you're born with — how you use that shape is what actually shapes the outcome. The seed of the simsang (心相, the face shaped by the mind) chapter later on is right here.
By the way, lip color and moistness were already covered in the Peach Blossom chapter. That chapter looks at attraction, while this one looks at how you give and take.
For reference and entertainment, based on traditional physiognomy. It doesn't rank appearances or reveal a fixed fate.