Anthropometric Analysis of Buddha's Face of Korea and Japan

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to measure and to analyze the Buddha's face of Korea and Japan buddhist paintings. Six paintings of the late Korea dynasty(13-14 Century), and six paintings of Japanese Heian and Kamakura period(12-14 Century) were analyzed. Twenty anthropometric items on each paintings were measured and 17 proportional indices were calculated. Proportions of the Buddha's face was very similar to that of Korea dynasty except three proportion indicies; 1) Eye fissure length/intercanthal width was significantly higher in Japanese Buddha, 2) Eye fissure height / eye width was significantly lower in Japanese Buddha, 3) Eye fissure length / face width was significantly higher in Japanese Buddha. In summary, the Japanese Buddha has long and narrow eye fissure than Korean Buddha. This suggests the preference of long and narrow eye in Japanese people at that period.