Curse Master Sarugaku

Japanese: 呪師猿楽 - しゅしさるがく

During the Heian period, Sarugaku was associated with temples and played the role of a jinshi during Buddhist ceremonies. At large temples such as Todaiji and Kofukuji, during the Shusho-e and Shunie ceremonies to welcome spring and pray for peace in the new year, monks called hojushi (jinshi) would summon the gods who protect Buddhism and perform esoteric Buddhist rituals such as setting up barriers, calming altars, and warding off evil spirits. The movements of the rituals were intense, and apparently involved ringing bells, swinging swords, and running around quickly and in short steps (hashiri). What was originally a ritual came to be admired as a performing art, and eventually aristocrats began to invite hojushi to their homes.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

平安時代，寺院に属し，法会の際に呪師の役を代行した猿楽。東大寺，興福寺等の大寺では，春を迎え，新しい年の太平を祈る修正会（しゆしようえ），修二会（しゆにえ）の勤行の際，法呪師(呪師)と呼ぶ役僧が，仏法守護の神々を勧請して，結界，鎮壇，鎮魔，除魔等の密教的な行法を受け持った。行法の動作は激しく，鈴を鳴らし，太刀を振り，足早に小刻みに走り回った(走り)らしい。本来行法であるものが，芸能的に賞翫（しようがん）されるようになり，はては貴族が自邸に法呪師を招くようになった。

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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