Kofukuji Buddhist Sculptor

Japanese: 興福寺仏師職 - こうふくじぶっししき

It is also called the Daibutsu sculptor position. After Jocho, who was active in the first half of the 11th century during the mid-Heian period, established the position of professional Buddhist sculptor, large temples in Nara and Kyoto had Buddhist sculptors and Buddhist temples. At Kofuku-ji, Jocho's descendants Kakusuke, Yosuke, and Kosuke were appointed as Daibutsu sculptors for each major project, but it was not until the time of Seicho, who belonged to their lineage, in the early Kamakura period that the Daibutsu sculptor position was established as a temple official (organization) and was socially recognized. The Kofuku-ji Daibutsu sculptor position is the earliest example of a Daibutsu sculptor position, and it was first seen in 1186 (Bun'ei 2) in a record (Azuma Kagami) stating that Seicho was appointed as such.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

大仏師職ともいう。平安中期の11世紀前半に活躍した定朝によって職業仏師としての地位が確立して以後，奈良や京都などの大寺院には仏師がおり，仏所が置かれた。興福寺では定朝の子孫覚助，頼助，康助らが大事業のたびに大仏師に任ぜられたが，鎌倉時代初頭に彼らの系統に属する成朝（せいちよう）の代になって，寺院の職制(組織)として大仏師職が確立され，社会的にも認められることとなる。興福寺大仏師職はもっとも早い大仏師職の例で，1186年(文治2)に成朝が任ぜられていると称した記録(《吾妻鏡》)が初見である。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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