kyouji　脇侍

KEY WORD :　art history / sculptures

Also written 挟侍. Also wakishi 脇士, wakidachi 脇立. Also pronounced attendant figures. In groups of Buddhist statues such as triads *sanzonbutsu 三尊仏 or groups of five images, the central figure is known as *chuuson 中尊 and the figures to the right and left are known as kyouji. The attendants who accompany each deity are chosen according to Buddhist scripture, although these groupings were not firmly established in Japan until the Nara period. Groups of statues made in earlier periods show considerable variation. The attendants are usually arranged below the principal image or are smaller in size in order to emphasize the stature of the central image. Characteristic groupings are *Amida 阿弥陀 appearing with *Kannon 観音 and *Seishi 勢至 as attendants *Yakushi 薬師 depicted with Nikkou 日光 on the right (as seen from the front) and Gakkou 月光 on the left (see *Nikkou Gakkou 日光・月光), and *Shaka 釈迦 with *Monju 文殊 and *Fugen 普賢. Shaka is also found with attendants Yakuou 薬王 and Yakujou 薬上, or with *Taishakuten 帝釈天 and *Bonten 梵天. Kyouji were not only used in Buddhist art but are also found in other contexts. Portraits of Chinese emperors and nobility also have attendant figures, as do many portraits of Shoutouku Taishi (see *Shoutoku Taishishizou 聖徳太子像) and other Japanese Buddhist patriarchs and high priests *kousouzou 高僧像. During the Heian period the rise of Esoteric Buddhism mikkyou 密教 was accompanied by various new images in the form of deities with attendants. Frequent triads included *Fudou Myouou 不動明王 with *Kongara douji 衿迦羅童子 and *Seitaka douji 制た迦童子, or *Bishamonten 毘沙門天 attended by *Kichijouten 吉祥天 and Zennishi douji 善膩子童子.

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