The aim of this study was to analyze eyebrow shapes in portraits of Chinese empresses of Ming and Qing dynasties. The frontal portraits of 20 Ming empresses and 24 of Qing in which the eye and eyebrows were identifiable were measured and analyzed. The arch shape did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) between Ming and Qing. The head-up type (66.6%) was significantly more common (P < 0.001), than tail-up (13.6%), horizontal (13.6%), and arched (6.8%). The brow arches of Ming and Qing empresses were classified as 5 arch types: L (Lamas), A (Anastasia), H (Hwang), M (Empress Ma), and D (Empress Du). In Ming, type-H (45.0%) was the most frequent, followed by type-D (25.0%). In Qing, type-L (45.8%) was the most frequent, followed by type-H (16.7%) and type-D (16.7%). The relative eyebrow width (REW) of Ming and Qing was 1.59 +/- 0.28. The REW of Qing (1.63 +/- 0.30) and Ming (1.55 +/- 0.26) did not differ significantly. The relative medial height (RMH, 1.05 +/- 0.20) and relative lateral height (RLH; 1.05 +/- 0.21) were the same, and greater than the relative mid-pupillary height (RPH; 0.84 +/- 0.19; P < 0.001). The RMH of Ming (1.09 +/- 0.24) and Qing (1.02 +/- 0.16) did not differ significantly. The RLH likewise did not differ significantly between Ming (1.01 +/- 0.21) and Qing (1.08 +/- 0.22). However, the RPH of Ming (0.91 +/- 0.21) was significantly (P = 0.042) greater than Qing (0.79 +/- 0.17). The relative brow thickness (RBT) of Qing (0.13 +/- 0.06) was significantly (p = 0.033) greater than Ming (0.17 +/- 0.06). The RBT of Ming and Qing was 0.15 +/- 0.06 and increased with time (P = 0.023). The results of this study may be useful for brow lift or the tattooing.
