Resurrectionist - Somakusha

The name of a Gagaku piece. Tougaku (Chinese music). Also one of the Rinyu Hachigaku (Eight Musical Pieces of the Linyu Dynasty). It includes both Kangen (wind and string) and Bugaku (dance and dance). It is in the Bankiki style. The dance is a running dance by one person. The whole piece is made up of Kogaku Ransho (traditional Japanese folk music), Somosha Netori (music), Jo (jo), and Ha (break). Somosha is the name of a leather hat from the Gaochang Kingdom (present-day Turfan) in the Western Regions. It is said to have originated from the Sangaku of Gaochang or rain-making dance of Central Asia, and has a strong element of imitation. The dancer wears a golden mask representing a mountain god or an old monkey, and dances with a drumstick in his left hand. Originally, it was a secret dance handed down at the Tennoji Gakuso, and is said to have been a tune depicting the mountain god dancing in delight at the beautiful sound of the flute played by Prince Shotoku when he crossed Mount Shigisan. The ondo (first player) of the Ryuteki (drum flute) is dressed as the prince and plays the Kyomizu no Ofue (flute), a treasure of Shitennoji Temple, at the side of the stage. There is also a theory that Prince Shotoku is En no Gyoja. The pair of dances includes "Hassen" and "Ringa".

[Yoko Hashimoto]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

雅楽の曲名。唐楽(とうがく)。林邑八楽(りんゆうはちがく)の一つとも。管絃(かんげん)、舞楽の両方がある。盤渉(ばんしき)調。舞は1人の走舞(はしりまい)。全体は古楽乱声(こがくらんじょう)、蘇莫者音取(ねとり)、序、破からなる。蘇莫者とは西域(せいいき)高昌(こうしょう)国（現在のトゥルファン）の皮袋の帽子の名。起源は高昌国の散楽か中央アジアの雨乞(あまごい)踊りといわれ、ものまねの要素が強い。山の神あるいは老猿を表す金色の面をつけ、左手に桴(ばち)を持って舞う。元来、天王寺楽所に伝わる秘舞で、聖徳太子が信貴山(しぎさん)を越えるときに吹いた笛の妙音に山の神が喜悦して舞ったありさまを曲にしたという。竜笛の音頭(おんどう)（第一奏者）は太子に扮(ふん)し、舞台脇(わき)で四天王寺の宝物である「京不見御笛(きょうみずのおふえ)」を吹く。聖徳太子を役行者(えんのぎょうじゃ)とする説もある。番舞(つがいまい)は『八仙(はっせん)』『林歌(りんが)』など。

［橋本曜子］

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