Substitute - Substitute

Japanese: 身替り - みがわり

It means to take the place of another person, and is also a term used in the writing and directing of Bunraku puppet theater and Kabuki. Stories about people being saved from disasters by the substitution of gods and Buddhas were widely circulated in medieval society. In particular, many of the tales of the miraculous powers of Jizo tell of this miracle, but substitution is also a major motif in performing arts such as Sekkyo-Joruri. In early modern Bunraku puppet theater and Kabuki, this trend toward religious performing arts was further developed into a setting in which one person substitutes for another, resulting in many works.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

他の人の替りをつとめることであるが，また，人形浄瑠璃，歌舞伎の作劇および演出の用語。神仏の身替りによって，人が災難から救われるという話は，中世社会に広く流布していた。とりわけ，地蔵霊験譚の多くは，この奇跡を語っているが，説経浄瑠璃などの芸能でも，身替りは主要なモティーフとなっている。近世の人形浄瑠璃や歌舞伎では，こうした宗教芸能的な流れを，さらに，ある人物が別の人物の身替りとなるといった設定へ発展させ多くの作品を生んだ。

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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