The Ancient Wisdom on Masculine and Feminine Features: “A Man’s Fear is a Tiny Mouth, While a Woman’s Concern Lies in a Large Nose”

While poetry is complex and ever-changing, proverbs are more straightforward yet equally captivating. During the feudal era, when information technology was underdeveloped, information disparities between regions were inevitable. Nonetheless, the culture of proverbs was considered a precious treasure passed down by our ancestors. Each proverb underwent numerous trials and tribulations before being refined and luckily surviving to the present day.

Proverbs encapsulate the life experiences of our forebears. For instance, the saying, “Men fear small mouths, women fear big noses,” is a maxim held and imparted by many elders.

**Why do men fear small mouths?**

According to ancient beliefs, a man’s appearance need not be handsome, but rather, his facial features should be well-proportioned, with bright eyes and full lips. Men with small mouths were often considered unfortunate.

Historically, when assessing a man’s career prospects, the first thing people looked at was whether his facial features exuded “generosity.”

In ancient times, the lips were the first feature observed when evaluating a man’s career potential. There’s an old saying that men with boat- or dragon-shaped mouths often encountered good fortune in their careers and received assistance from benefactors. Such individuals might be presented with valuable life opportunities, even if they weren’t seeking them.

**In contrast, why do women fear big noses? Why is this considered undesirable?**

Women typically take pride in their small lips, but their noses can diminish their gentle beauty. A large nose is not only aesthetically unpleasing but is also believed to bring bad luck. An overly large nose can disrupt the harmony of the face and affect overall attractiveness.

In the past, women with such features were deemed graceless. Women in feudal society had to adhere to stringent norms, including maintaining gentleness and harmony in their appearance, speech, and daily conduct.

Women with big noses were seen as symbols of rigidity and lacking softness. This single feature made it challenging for them to find suitable marriages. The prospective in-laws might disapprove of a future daughter-in-law with strong and rigid thinking, stemming from ancient feudalistic beliefs that still influence certain aspects of modern society.

However, in today’s era, an increasing number of women are independent and do not need marriage to validate their worth. This shift underscores the unfairness of judging people based on their appearance, as human nature is far more intricate than what meets the eye. We can only gain deeper insights into someone’s character through experience and prolonged interaction.