Yen faction - Enpa

A common name for a school of Buddhist sculptors active in the late Heian period. This Buddhist temple was established by Chosei, a disciple of Jocho, and many of the Buddhist sculptors of the lineage that would come to be known as the Sanjo Buddhist Temple used the character "en" in their names, such as Ensei, Kenen, and others, following Ensei who followed Chosei. This school was later called the En school to distinguish it from the In school and Kei school. While the Kei school (Shichijo Buddhist Temple) was centered in Nara, this school was active mainly in Kyoto, and it seems that it was characterized by a moderate style and traditional old styles for generations. It was very active throughout the 11th and 12th centuries until the rise of the Kei school in the Kamakura period, but after the death of the great Buddhist sculptor Hogen Myoen in 1199 (Shoji 1), there were few master craftsmen, and it had to cede its position to the Kei school.

[Akio Sato]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安後期に活躍した仏師の一派の通称。定朝(じょうちょう)の弟子長勢(ちょうせい)の開いた仏所で、後世三条仏所とよばれる系統の仏師たちは、長勢に続く円勢以後、長円、賢円らのように、その名に円の字を用いた人が多いので、後世この派を円派とよんで、院派、慶派などと区別する。慶派（七条仏所）が奈良を中心としたのに対し、この一派は京都を中心に活躍し、代々穏健な作風と伝統的な古様を特色としたらしい。鎌倉時代に入って慶派が台頭するまでは11、12世紀を通じて大いに活躍したが、1199年（正治1）大仏師法眼明円(ほうげんみょうえん)の死後は名匠に乏しく、慶派にその地位を譲らねばならなかった。

［佐藤昭夫］

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