Explainer | What is a lucky face? Woman in China told by many online that her face suggests a personality that will help husband get rich
- Viral video shows woman with ‘wang fu xiang’, an ancient Chinese belief
- Round face, broad forehead, denote kindness, help husband make friends
A woman in China has gone viral online after she was repeatedly told her face suggested a personality that could help her future husband become wealthy and successful.
Video clips of the woman sitting at a dining table have been circulating on mainland social media for several days, with people flocking to comment that she has a wang fu xiang, or “a face that brings her husband good luck”.
The 29-year-old woman, from central China’s Henan province, posted the video on her Douyin account @Huaxianpengyuyan in January. It has since attracted 570,000 likes and 76,000 comments.
The belief that certain kinds of female facial features can bring good fortune is a tradition that has existed since feudal times in China.
What is wang fu xiang?
Despite the belief that having a “good luck face” is increasingly considered pure superstition today, many people still hold by it.
On the social media platform Xiaohongshu, the hashtag #wangfuxiang has had more than 800,000 views.
The most desirable features are a round face with a broad forehead and round chin, as they suggest the woman treats people kindly, and could help her husband make friends.
The nose is also an important feature of a lucky face. It must have a round tip and a long, straight bridge.
Another essential requirement is that the lower lip should be slightly thicker than the upper. It is thought that particular characteristic will “keep the fortune in”.
Believers in Chinese face reading also require soft hair and bright eyes to be elements of a good luck face.
Chinese champion springboard diver and four-times Olympic gold medalist, Guo Jingjing, who married Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, the grandson of Hong Kong tycoon Henry Fok Ying-tung in 2012, is often cited as a good example of wang fu xiang.
Online observers have marvelled at the looks of the woman in the video, saying they had never seen such a standard good luck face.
“What an ideal image for a wife,” one man said on Douyin.
“I am already imagining spending the rest of my life with her,” said another.
Matchmakers’ favourite
Online dates have become a popular way for young people in China to find a lifelong partner in recent years, and a good luck face is considered an advantage by matchmakers.
However, there is no link between a good luck face and a higher bride price, which men in China traditionally pay to a woman’s family as a condition of engagement.
