WOODEN BUDDHA IMAGE MAKING : Representation of Ancient Nan Female in Buddhism

Abstract

In the reign of ancient Nan. the difference of physical body between male and female 
was an obstacle of making merit in Buddhism and also was a limitation of female to access in 
many social occasions. Buddhist concepts was aware on these problems well because female 
were an important power to drive Buddhism to be prosperous in the future. 
Wooden Buddha images became an innovation of Buddhism as medium to access the 
religion because each image was a representative of holy fate of female in Buddhism. In that 
reign. the social value was that the leader had to be male and female was only the follower. 
According that. building the wooden Buddha image became a symbol to express the right of 
female which could be interpreted with the Representation concept through the ceremony of 
the wooden Buddha image building which was the way to make merit.