Kuron 崑崙

Also read Konron. Ch: Kunlun. Gigaku mask *gigakumen 伎楽面 representing a lecherous man who makes advances on a young beauty *Gojo 呉女 and is punished by *Rikishi 力士. Among the several possible meanings for the name, the characters generally are taken to mean "a black man from southern lands." The fleshy round face with leering smile enhanced by fang teeth, the thick, broad nose, the intently glaring eyes, and the large animal-like ears, suggest exotic non-Japanese "otherness." One old mask preserved in the Hōryūji 法隆寺 collection and another 8th-century mask in the *Shōsōin 正倉院 have a base coat of red lacquer covered with black, and the latter, remnants of implanted hair for beard and mustache.