Gigaku

Japanese: 伎楽 - ぎがく

In ancient times, this was a silent outdoor play using masks that was brought over from the continent. According to the "Nihon Shoki," Mimashi, who had been naturalized from Baekje in the 20th year of the reign of Empress Suiko (612), had studied in the country of Kure and mastered the Kigaku dance, so the Imperial Court had Mimashi live in Sakurai, Yamato (Nara Prefecture), gather young boys, and teach them this dance. In this way, Kigaku was introduced from the Chinese country of Wu and is also called Kuregaku, but since the facial features of the masks (Kigaku masks) used have a striking characteristic of the Aryan race, known as the Kohito type, it is estimated that its origins are in the Western Regions. The name Kigaku is said to be a Japanese name derived from Buddhist scriptures for use as temple music for the Three Treasures Offering. Gigaku was also performed at Tachibana-dera Temple in Yamato Province, Uzumasa-dera Temple (Koryu-ji Temple) in Yamashiro Province (Kyoto Prefecture), and Shitenno-ji Temple in Settsu Province (Osaka Prefecture). It became increasingly popular with the rise of Buddhism, and was performed on a grand scale at the consecration ceremony for the Great Buddha of Todaiji Temple in 752 (Tenpyo Shoho 4).

The only clue we have about the contents of gigaku is the description in Volume 4 of the Kyokunsho, which was compiled in October 1233 (Tenpuku 1). However, by comparing this with the names of gigaku masks found in the asset ledgers of Horyuji Temple, Saidaiji Temple, Kanzeonji Temple, and other temples, we can get a general idea of what it is. Gigaku is an outdoor masked performance accompanied by a procession, and it is said that a chido, who acts as a dew sweeper, stood at the head of the procession. Next comes the lion and the lion child. The lion has the meaning of driving away demons, and today its name can be seen in the "lion" of Shitennoji Bugaku and the two-person lion dances in various places. After him come the Duke of Wu, Kongo, Garuda, Brahman, Kunlun, the Lady of Wu, the Sumo Wrestler, the Great Orphan, the Great Orphan, the Drunken King, and the Drunken Follower. According to the Kyokunsho, the instruments played are the flute, the three drums, and the copper clappers. The Duke of Wu holds a fan, which is said to have been accompanied by a dance move to the accompaniment of the flute. Garuda, who follows Kongo, is called "Kerahami" and appears to be acting out the act of eating a poisonous snake. Since Brahmins are considered to be "Mutsukiarahi," it seems that this was a satirical performance in which a virtuous man performed a humorous scene of washing his futon. Kunlun, who performed with a woman from the Wu Dynasty and a sumo wrestler, falls in love with a woman from the Wu Dynasty and behaves obscenely, but the sumo wrestler appears and punishes him. Daikofu is an old man who performs a pilgrimage to the Buddha accompanied by two great orphans. The last performer, Drunken King, is accompanied by many drunken attendants, and as his name suggests, he pretends to be drunk. It is questionable how much the description in the Kyokunsho conveys the original appearance of gigaku when it was first introduced to Japan, but this vulgar humor of gigaku was a major reason why it gradually declined after the mid-Heian period, despite being temple music, due to the rise of bugaku. However, its humorous nature is thought to have influenced Sarugaku, a form of entertainment that existed from the end of the Heian period to the beginning of the Kamakura period.

[Shigeru Takayama]

Gigaku Mask

There are known to be 14 types of Gigaku masks, from the aforementioned Jido to Suikoju. The majority belong to the Nara period, with 31 masks at Horyu-ji Temple (Tokyo National Museum), 164 masks at Shoso-in, 33 masks at Todai-ji Temple, and others scattered among shrines and temples such as Kasuga Taisha. The mask at Horyu-ji Temple is said to be the future of Ajimashi, and the one at Shoso-in is said to have been used in the Gigaku at the Great Buddha's eye-opening ceremony. It is larger than Bugaku masks and Noh masks, and has a style in which it is worn deep from the back of the head and the lower half of the back of the head is covered with a cloth. The materials include wood carvings such as camphor and kiri, and dry lacquer, and the coloring is different from that of Noh masks, but it is said that the large size and the eyes, nose, and mouth are well visible because Gigaku was an outdoor entertainment. Some of them also have inscriptions such as the name of the role, the author, and the date, making them valuable materials for the history of entertainment and masks.

[Shigeru Takayama]

"Shosoin Office (ed.) 'Shosoin's Gigaku Masks (1972, Heibonsha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

古代、大陸より渡来した、仮面を使用する無言野外劇。『日本書紀』によれば、推古(すいこ)天皇20年（612）に百済(くだら)から帰化した味摩之(みまし)が呉(くれ)の国に学んで伎楽儛(くれのうたまい)を習得していたので、朝廷は大和(やまと)（奈良県）の桜井に味摩之を住まわせて、少年たちを集め、この舞を伝習させたとある。このように伎楽は中国の呉国より伝来したもので呉楽(くれがく)ともいわれるが、使用する仮面（伎楽面）の相貌(そうぼう)にいわゆる胡人(こひと)型といわれるアーリア系人種の特徴が著しい点から、その源流は西域(せいいき)方面ではないかと推定されている。伎楽という名称は、三宝供養(さんぽうくよう)の寺院楽として用いるために仏教経典にちなんだ日本での呼称であるといわれる。伎楽は大和国橘寺(たちばなでら)、山城(やましろ)国（京都府）太秦寺(うずまさでら)（広隆寺）、摂津(せっつ)国（大阪府）四天王寺にも置かれ、仏教の興隆とともにますます盛んとなり、752年（天平勝宝4）の東大寺大仏開眼供養(だいぶつかいげんくよう)にも盛大に行われた。

　伎楽の内容については1233年（天福1）10月成立の『教訓抄』巻4の記載をほとんど唯一の手掛りとして知るほかはないが、これに、法隆寺、西大寺(さいだいじ)、観世音寺(かんぜおんじ)などの資財帳にみえる伎楽面の名称を照合すると、その大要が把握できる。伎楽は行道(ぎょうどう)に演技の伴った屋外仮面芸能であるが、行道の先頭には露払いの役をする治道(ちどう)が立ったであろうといわれている。次に師子(しし)、師子児(ししこ)と続く。師子には悪魔払いの意味があり、今日四天王寺舞楽の「獅子(しし)」や各地の二人立ちの獅子舞にその名残(なごり)をとどめている。そのあとに呉公(ごこう)、金剛(こんごう)、迦楼羅(かるら)、婆羅門(ばらもん)、崑崙(こんろん)、呉女(ごじょ)、力士(りきし)、大孤父(たいこふ)、大孤児(たいこじ)、酔古王(すいこおう)、酔古従(すいこじゅう)などが続く。『教訓抄』によると、楽器は笛、三鼓(つづみ)、銅拍子(どうびょうし)。呉公は扇を持つとあるが、これには笛にあわせて舞の所作が伴ったであろうといわれている。金剛に続く迦楼羅は「ケラハミ」と称され、毒蛇を食うさまを演じたようすである。婆羅門は「ムツキアラヒ」とされているので、高徳の人物が襁褓(むつき)を洗うさまを滑稽(こっけい)に演じた、風刺性の強い演技であったと思われる。崑崙は呉女や力士との共演で、呉女に懸想(けそう)し卑猥(ひわい)なふるまいをするが、力士が出てきて懲らしめるという筋書き。大孤父は老人で、大孤児2人を伴い仏前参詣(さんけい)を示す演技をする。最後の酔古王は、従者である多くの酔古従を従え、その名称からして酒に酔ったまねをしたらしい。『教訓抄』の記述がどれだけ伝来当初の伎楽の姿を伝えているかは疑問であるが、伎楽のこのような卑俗的な滑稽さが、寺院の楽でありながら、舞楽の隆盛に押されて平安中期以降しだいに衰微していった大きな原因であった。しかし、その滑稽さが平安末から鎌倉時代初めにかけての猿楽(さるがく)に影響を与えたものと思われる。

［高山　茂］

伎楽面

伎楽面は上述の治道から酔古従まで14種あることが知られている。大多数は奈良時代に属し、法隆寺31面（東京国立博物館蔵）、正倉院164面、東大寺33面、そのほか、春日(かすが)大社などの社寺にも分散して伝えられた。法隆寺の面は味摩之の将来と伝え、正倉院のものは大仏開眼供養の伎楽に使用したものといわれる。舞楽面・能面よりも大型で、後頭部から深くかぶり、後頭部の下半に布をつけて覆うようにした形式をもつ。素材にはクスノキ、キリなど木彫製のものと乾漆製のものとがあり、彩色にも能面とは違った華麗さがあるが、大型で目・鼻・口から外がよく見えるようになっているのは、伎楽が野外芸能であったためといわれる。また、役の名、作者、年月日などの銘が記されているものもあり、芸能史、仮面史にとっての貴重な資料になっている。

［高山　茂］

『正倉院事務所編『正倉院の伎楽面』（1972・平凡社）』

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