What was a side profile?

Answer 1

Side descriptions were a literary technique that allowed the readers to better understand the characters by describing the things, environment, and plot outside of the characters to show the characters 'personality, psychology, and state. Usually, a side profile didn't describe the appearance, actions, language, etc. of the character directly. Instead, it hinted or highlighted the character by describing other things related to it.

For example, in the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Cao Cao's appearance was described as " His face is as thick as dates, his eyes are as bright as stars, his hair is as white as snow, and his eyebrows are as distant as mountains. He is extremely powerful and handsome." Although this description directly described Cao Cao's appearance, it also hinted at Cao Cao's character, imposing manner and other characteristics, allowing the readers to have a deeper understanding of Cao Cao's image.

Side descriptions were a commonly used technique in literature to allow readers to better understand the characters and enhance the novel's expressiveness.