gyouzou　行像

KEY WORD :　art history / sculptures

Lit. traveling image. 1　Buddhist images shown in the position of walking, often used in portraits of priests. The wood sculpture of the priest Kuuya 空也 (903-72) in Rokuharamitsuji 六波羅蜜寺, Kyoto, by the artist Koushou 康勝 (active early 13c) is an example of a walking image. Since the priest Kuuya traveled Japan spreading the practice of nenbutsu 念仏, or praise and invocation of the name of the Buddha *Amida 阿弥陀, the depiction is especially appropriate. 2　Images used in a *nerikuyou 練供養, or religious procession, which are carried or moved on a portable shrine *mikoshi 神輿. Usually the route is fixed. Gyouzou images are either taken out of a temple or made especially for the ceremony, and the term gyouzou can also refers to the ceremony itself. Such religious processions seem to have developed in India, along with the offering of flowers, incense, music and drama. They flourished in Central Asia and China and arrived in Japan by the 8c. While not restricted to Pure Land sects, from the 11c many Pure Land temples adopted the practice. An example of the use of gyouzou still seen today, is the mukaekou 迎講, or welcoming ceremony, at the Shingon 真言 and Joudo 浄土 sects temple Taimadera 当麻寺 in Nara. Every year on April 13/14 masked participants play the parts of Amida and 25 bodhisattvas *nijuugo bosatsu 二十五菩薩 in procession, reenacting the descent of Amida to welcome the dying believer into paradise (see *raigouzu 来迎図). During the event, the image of Chuujouhime 中将姫 (the legendary 8c princess-nun said to have woven the Matrix Mandala *Taima mandara 当麻曼荼羅) is brought out and carried in the procession.

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