Sometimes in life, we come across shit that just blows your mind! The shit I present before you...is that shit.
Finding out about Sanpaku eyes was wild AF for me! We're about" to take a quick dive in this shit...both the physical and the spiritual aspect of those that bare Sanpaku eyes.
In some countries, Sanpaku eyes are considered a superstition.
Decide for yourself...
Sanpaku Eyes:
also known as Sanpaku gan, which is a Japanese teram meaning "three whites". This term is most often used in English to refer to a folk belief accoding to which the visibility of the sclera (whites of eyes) above or under the irises have various meanings as an omen or symptom in alternative medicine. It was introduced into English by George Oshsawa inthe mid-1960's as a condition supposedly cured by a particular method created by himself.
History:
According to traditional Chinese and Japanese face reading, the eye is composed of two parts, the yin (black, iris and pupil) and the yang (white, sclera). The visibility of the sclera beneath the iris is said to represent physical imbalance in the body, and is claimed to be present in alcoholics, drug addicts, and people who over-consume sugar or grain. Conversely, the visibility of the upper sclera is said to be an indication of mental imbalance in people such as psychotics, murderers, and anyone rageful. In either condition, it is believed that these people attract accidents and violence.
Yea...read that shit again. "Rageful" is the word that stood out to me. As we know...rage can be deadly.
In August 1963, George Ohsawa, an advocate for macrobiotics, predicted that President John F. Kennedy would experience great danger because of his sanpaku condition.
In 1965, Ohsawa, assisted by William Dufty, wrote You Are All Sanpaku, which offers the following perspective on the condition:
For thousands of years, people of the Far East have been looking into each other's eyes for signs of this dreaded condition. Any sign of sanpaku meant that a man's entire system — physical, physiological and spiritual — was out of balance. He had committed sins against the order of the universe and he was therefore sick, unhappy, insane, what the West has come to call "accident prone". The condition of sanpaku is a warning, a sign from nature, that one's life is threatened by an early and tragic end.
According to Ohsawa, this condition could be treated by a macrobiotic diet emphasizing brown rice and soybeans.
Sanpaku: Superstition or Curse
Sanpaku eyes are associated with tragedy and violence. People with sanpaku eyes usually fall into 1 of 2 categories: yin sanpaku and yang sanpaku. Individuals with Yin sanpaku have sclera visible beneath their iris, and are supposedly more likety to develope an illess or die a tragic death. Those with yang sanpaku, or whites visible above the iris, are thought to be more violet towards others.
A few notable celebrities with yin sanpaku eyes are Princess Diana, JFK, Abraham Lincoln, Marilyn Monroe, Jim Morrison, Elvis Presley and Audrey Hepburn. Charles Manson is an example of yang sanpaku eyes.
The superstition was popularized by George Ohsawa in the 1960s.
In his 1965 book titled You Are All Sanpaku (published under his pen name Sakurazawa Nyoiti), Ohsawa introduces sanpaku as “a condition of the human eye which presents three white sides or areas around the iris.” According to Ohsawa, t22he concept of sanpaku has existed in the realm of Eastern philosophy for millennia and is a sign of physical, spiritual, or physiological imbalance. In his book, Ohsawa advocates for the macrobiotic diet, which he claims can cure those who are sanpaku.
The macrobiotic diet, originally created by Ohsawa, is a combination of dietary suggestions (like making your diet 40-60% whole grains, 20-30% produce, and 10-25% bean products) and lifestyle practices (not using microwaves, staying away from caffeine and alcohol, and more). Modern health experts warn that diets like this one aren’t always the healthiest, and can lead to nutrient deficiencies (like vitamins, iron, protein, and calcium).
Sanpaku Eye Types:
Yin Sanpaku (Below)
According to superstition, people with yin sanpaku eyes (where white sclera can be seen beneath the iris) are more likely to run into some sort of danger, either at someone else’s hands or their own. People with this type of sanpaku are supposedly more likely to get involved with drugs or alcohol or otherwise face a tragic death.
In his book, Ohsawa calls this sanpaku “a sign from nature that one’s life is threatened by an early and tragic end.” He then cites examples of historical figures who had sanpaku and suffered an early, tragic death, like JFK, Marie Antoinette, Abraham Lincoln, and Archduke Ferdinand.
Yang Sanpaku (Above)
While people with yin sanpaku are most likely to be victims of tragedy and violence, people with yang sanpaku are more likely to be perpetrators of tragedy and violence. As far as superstition goes, people with visible white above their eyes are often violent towards others
Ohsawa doesn’t really discuss yang sanpaku specifically in his book, but it’s still widely considered part of sanpaku lore.
Medical Causes for Sanpaku Eyes Natural causes
Physical trauma
If you’ve broken any of your facial bones in the past, the healing and scarring process might have caused your lower eyelid to cover a bit less of your sclera.
Ectropion
Ectropion causes a person’s lower eyelid to rotate outward, which makes more of the lower sclera visible. Depending on the severity of the condition, a doctor might recommend certain ointments, artificial tears, or even surgery, which is the most effective way to fix the eyelid. A lot of different factors can lead to ectropion, including muscular weakness, facial paralysis, or genetic disorders.
Lower blepharoplasty complications
After a blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery), some patients experience a scleral show and ectropion around their eyelids. If you’re experiencing this after your procedure, talk with your surgeon and see what your options are.
Keep in mind that it takes weeks and even months to completely heal from a blepharoplasty.
Sanpaku eyes don’t signify an early death or violent future.
All of those TikTok conspiracy theory videos can seem really convincing, especially when they show tons of celebrities who are apparent “victims” of the sanpaku curse. Truthfully, the deaths of these people are all just sad coincidences—plenty of famous people without sanpaku eyes have died in tragic ways (or perpetuated violence against others).
At the end of the day, superstitions are only as powerful as you allow them to be. Once you recognize the control and independence you have within your own life, the sanpaku “curse” doesn’t seem so scary.
The sanpaku belief was popularized to promote a specific diet.
While the sanpaku superstition existed long before the 1960s, it was George Ohsawa’s discussion and explanation of the belief that really made it popular in Western society. In his book You Are All Sanpaku, Ohsawa claims that “nearly every American he has seen is more or less sanpaku,” and uses this “fact” to promote the macrobiotic diet (a diet he is historically credited for creating.
In many ways, you could argue that this popularized superstition originated as a marketing scheme—not as a true predictor of someone’s fate.
Series of co incidences? Curse or Facts? You decide...
References
Stalker, Nancy (2009). "The Globalisation of Macrobiotics as Culinary Tourism and Culinary Nostalgia". Asian Medicine. 5 (1): 2–7. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
Evans, T. B., A Dictionary of Japanese Loanwords (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1997), p. 150
Nyoiti Sakurazawa, William Dufty translator (1965) You Are All Sanpaku, p. 70, Citadel Press ISBN 0-8065-0728-4
Adams, Cecil (1 April 2016). "What Causes Sanpaku Eyes?". Washington City Paper. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
Bridges, Lillian (2012) Face Reading in Chinese Medicine, page 166, Elsevier Health Sciences
Tom Wolfe (18 August 1963) "Kennedy to Bardot, Too Much Sanpaku", New York Herald Tribune
Kushi, Michio and Jack, Alex (1987) The Book of Macrobiotics: The Universal Way of Health, Happiness, and Peace, page 295, Japan Publications
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