Also written 蝦虹梁.
An usually-shaped rainbow tie beam thought to resemble the back of a lobster or shrimp or an s-shape turned on its side. It is used in the aisles *hisashi 廂 surrounding the core *moya 母屋 of a temple or shrine building when the pillars of the core and the hisashi vary in height. Ebikōryō are used on each side of a step-canopy *kōhai 向拝 to join the pillars at the bottom of the steps to the head-penetrating tie beams *kashiranuki 頭貫 that are inserted into the tops of the pillars that form the outer framework of the building. Ebikōryō were one of the characteristic structural members of the Zen style *zenshūyō 禅宗様, introduced in the early 13th century. Although found mainly in Zen style temple buildings, it was also imitated in wayō style *wayō 和様 buildings. Originally the curvature of the ebikōryō was slight but gradually it became exaggerated. An early example is found at Kōzanji Butsuden 功山寺仏殿 (1320), Yamaguchi Prefecture; and a late example at Unpōji Hondō 雲峰寺本堂 (late Muromachi period), Yamaguchi Prefecture.
