User:Hotpocket45/Bijin

Bijin
=== Bijin is most commonly translated into English as "beautiful". However, there is a cultural context that is not as accurately translated along with the word. From a cultural context, bijin, is most accurately translated into English phrases as "once in a generation beauty", "hauntingly beautiful", "elegantly beautiful", or "absolutely beautiful". The word itself is not used very commonly, signifying its weight as a word and the disparage between average beauty (kirei) and extraordinary beauty (bijin). ===

Overview:

What is considered beautiful when referring to women is subjective, and the criteria for beauty differs due to individual preferences. The idea of common beauty in a community as large as a nation is not the same as individual communities within it. In a society where beauty values are diverse the differences in said standards become larger.

On one hand, a beautiful woman refers to a woman who is considered beautiful by many, and it is these specific characteristics of an unspecified number of individuals that may match in the aesthetic evaluation of a woman’s features. This is seen in the Golden Ratio Beauty Theory and the Average Beauty Theory described later in this wikipedia article. There are still ongoing attempts to scientifically explain the commonality of features in appearance that many people perceive as beauty.

On the other hand, beauty is a social construct, meaning that its standards change depending on the times and the ever changing nature of culture, and there are elements that cannot be explained by scientific analysis alone. Elements that are viewed as beautiful

Golden Ratio Beauty Theory:

Kang Lee of the University of Toronto, Canada, published the results of his research on white women only in the journal Vision Research. Due to this, research results have been published that the beauty of a woman’s appearance is determined by the distance between the eyes, nose, and mouth in the context of the whole face. The results of the study found that the distance between the eyes and mouth was viewed as most beautiful when the distance between the eyes was 36% of the length of the face and the distance between the eyes was 46% of the width of the face. This is often discussed in relation to the “golden ratio” in mathematical theory. This golden ratio is often used in the beauty industry, with different measurements pertaining to the measurement from the sole of one’s foot to the navel (belly button) and the location of the navel in the context of the whole body. It is said that it is beautiful if the ratio of the length from the navel to the top of the head is within the golden ratio, and that the length and spacing of the eyes, nose, mouth, etc., which are the components of the face, and the detailed morphology are also beautiful if they match the golden ratio…However the golden ratio is often found in cuacasin people but Asians, including Japanese people, are often far from the golden ratio. So the creation of a “silver ratio” is used for beauty standards in Japan. Another aesthetic view (known as the “Yamato ratio”) also exists. Average Beauty Theory:

Judith Langlois and Lori Roggman published a study showing that when a person was randomly shown a photo of a randomly selected facial profile, the face was often found to be attractive (Psychological Science 1990)... This led to the hypothesis that beauty is viewed as the most average of appearances in a community. According to this theory, beauty is the transition of the population and changes in the members of the community. For example, if there were more people with higher noses in the population, then this characteristic would be viewed as beautiful. The Expressions of Beautiful Women in Japan: In Japan, flowers are often used as a symbol of genuine beauty, as seen in Konohanasakuyahime. For example, beautiful and kind hearted Japanese women are sometimes referred to as Yamato Nadeshiko, as if they were dianthus flowers. SInce ancient times, “flower metaphors” have been seen in waka poems as well.

This symbolism of the flower is based on traditional aesthetics in Japanese culture (Yamato people’s culture). For example, Kyosuke Kinda asked Ainu “Do you think the cherry blossoms are beautiful?”, the answer being “it’s beautiful”. When asked, he wrote that he was laughed at, “Because it is completely different. The flower has a specific shape and is completely different from the face”.

Also in Japan and China, there are many proverbs and phrases that metaphorize beautiful women.


 * Beppin (high quality goods) - refer to “Bestu”

Derived from a word used to describe “high quality goods” and later used to represent beautiful women. “Great Bessho” “Bessho San”.


 * Meika (famous flowers) - A metaphorical expression that compares a beautiful woman to a flower. A woman who is gorgeous in comparison to her surroundings.
 * Komachi (belle) - A term derived from the name Ono no Komachi, which refers to a young woman from the heian period known for her exceptional beauty. "Akita Komachi" "Komachi Musume"
 * Shan - A German loan word, schön (meaning beautiful). "Bakkushan" "A woman who looks beautiful from behind"
 * Madonna - Women who are the target of men's longing. "Kurasu no madon'na" "Madonna of her class" "Keisha no madon'na" "Madonna of the comapany"
 * Keisei (pretty girl) - Bewitchingly beautiful woman. "Keisei no bijo" "beauty of the castle"
 * Iroon’na (concubine) - the literal translation is “color woman” but is a word for a concubine. A fascinating and sexy beauty.

“Iroon’na no adesugata” “Glossy figure of a color woman”

“Addappoi iroon’na” “A woman like a color woman”


 * Bijin ni wa yoshi tanrei (good looks for a woman), binanshi ni wa bimoku shurei (Hiderei eyebrows for handsome boys).
 * Kanjin hakumei (Beauty dies young) - An unhappy beauty. Also known as the thin life of beauty.
 * Happo Bijin (flawlessly beautiful) - A woman who is beautiful from all angles.
 * Mei bokoshi (starry eyes and beautiful white teeth) - Expression written about Yang Guifei in Du Fu's Ai Eto.
 * Bai Juyi Flower Face / Bai Juyi Flower Face Kim Ayumu - An expression written about Yang in Chang hen ge by of Bai Juyi (a Chinese poet).
 * Red Lips Teeth - An expression created by the stain left on a woman's teeth from her lipstick.
 * Senjo Tamashi - An expression that expresses the elegant posture of a woman as well as her skin as smooth as a ball.

Beauty Statistics in Japan: There is a claim that the side of Japan with coasts adjacent to the Sea of Japan has the most beautiful women in Japan. This is in reference to the Akita Bijin, Tsugaru Bijin, Shonai Bijin, Echigo Bijin, Kaga Bijin, Echizen Bijin, Kyo Bijin, Izumo Bijin, Hakata Bijin, etc.

In contrast, there is also a claim that the beautiful women of Okinawa are the most beautiful in Japan. They are genetically different from the Japanese people from Honshu and are active in the entertainment industry. The citizens of this prefecture are very proud of their large number of beautiful women. Names for Beautiful Women in Japan:


 * Beppin - Slang term for a beautiful woman, also called Beppin san.
 * Reijin - A beautiful woman.
 * The Three beauties of the World (Specific to the Nation of Japan)
 * Akita Bijin; refers to the beautiful woman of the Akita prefecture. This refers to beautiful women from the inland prefecture. Their features include a tall stature, fair (pale) skin, big eyes, and eyebrows that droop slightly as the ends.
 * Kyo Bijin; refers to the beautiful women who come from the city of Kyoto and its surrounding areas. There are no clear features that define this beauty. However, throughout Japanese history the city of Kyoto has always been one of its largest cities and became one of its first metropolises. This led to the attraction of beautiful women to the city and an indicator as to how beauty was viewed throughout the entire nation.
 * Hakata Bijin; refers to the beautiful women from the city of Fukuoka and its surrounding areas. This too does not have defined features, similar to that of Kyo Bijin. Parallel to Kyoto, Fukuoka is also one of the largest cities in Japan. This too has led to beautiful women to come to the city, thus establishing another aspect of the bijin cultural importance in Japan.
 * Four Beauties of China (China specific); Japan has always had a heavy influence from China, especially around the foundation of the nation. This too has led to an influence in the perception of beauty in Japan with regards to beauty standards in China. Below are four historically beautiful women from Chinese history.
 * Xi Shi
 * Wang Zhaojun (Western Han)
 * Diaochan (Eastern Han)
 * Yang Guifei (Tang)
 * Taisho San Bijin (Three most beautiful women of the taisho era)
 * Takeko Kujo: 1887-1928
 * Byakuren Yanagihara: 1885-1967
 * Kimuko Hayashi: 1884-1967