The Symbolic Interplay of Korean Pensive Buddha Statue and Colour: A Case Study in Thailand

Abstract

In winter 2025, an observational experiment was conducted at Mahidol University, Thailand, to investigate how lighting colour influences individuals' perceptions of religious imagery. The study examined how participants emotionally and symbolically respond to a pensive Korean Buddha statue when presented under different colored lighting conditions. We experimented with 116 participants who viewed the statue inside a black box illuminated by five colors-red, yellow, blue, green, and white-in randomized order. After each exposure, participants completed semantic differential scales measuring formality, authenticity, sacredness, memorability, perceived value, and durability. White lighting received the highest ratings for sacredness, perceived value, and authenticity; yellow excelled in memorability and sacredness; blue scored lowest on authenticity and formality; red was near-neutral. These findings inform the design of religious spaces and the presentation of sacred artifacts.