Also gatsurin, getsurin. A perfectly round circle meant to represent the full moon, a frequently used…

Images carved in a niche. In a broad sense the term refers to the Buddhist images of high relief carved into the rock walls…

1　The triangular frame created by joining a pair of cruck-like members *…

Also hoko 鉾. A weapon, found as an attribute of fearsome Buddhist figures such as *…

Return to the castle dance, Alternative names: Genkyōraku 環京楽 (Return to Capital Dance), Genjōraku 還成楽 (Return of One of…

Masks worn for performances of *gigaku 伎楽, now-lost temple processions and…

Silver Buddha. Bronze was the most frequent metal used in the production of Buddhist statues. Where silver was used instead…

Also sōgishi 僧祇支 (Sk: Sankaksika). A robe worn by Buddhist priests under the *…

Also gobutsukan 五仏冠, gobutsu hōkan 五仏宝冠, gochi nyoraikan 五智如来冠, gohō tenkan 五宝天冠. A…

Maid of (the country of) Wu 呉. The only female mask in the *gigaku 伎楽 repertory…

Also written 御光. Aureole. The light emitted from the Buddha. Often expressed as a halo *…

Lit. Man of (the country of) Wu 呉, a gigaku mask *gigakumen 伎楽面,…

A short club with five prongs at each end, usually made of gilt bronze. The central grip is encircled by demons' eyes …

Lit. mudra of the Vanquisher of the Three Worlds (SK: trailokyavijaya mudra). A mudra or hand gesture *…

The internal organs of the body as defined in Chinese medicine kanpō 漢方. A model of the internal organs, made of…

Also written 君持 or 軍遅. Sanskrit kundika. A vase with two spouts, found as an attribute *…

A smile found on Buddhist images, where both ends of the mouth curve upward into the shape of a crescent moon. This smile is…

Lit. crystal eyes. Eyes made of crystal which were inserted into the head of a wooden buddhist statue in order to produce a…

An arrangement of sculpted lotus petals *renben 蓮弁 on a lotus pedestal *…

Lit. traveling image. 

1　Buddhist images shown in the position of walking, often used in…

Spiral shaped curls of hair, like snail-shells, on the head of a *nyorai…

Lit. "welcoming mudra." A mudra or hand gesture *in 印 in which the forefinger,…

A net-like ornament strung with jewels or precious metals and hung from the canopy *…

Lit. "lotus petal."
1　A pendant *gatō 瓦当, found on semi-…

Also renza 蓮座. Lit. "Lotus base" (Sk: padmasana). A dais for a Buddhist image *…

The central section of a lotus flower pedestal *rengeza 蓮華座 on which a Buddhist image usually…

A manner of representing drapery folds in Buddhist sculpture. It consists of either 

1) a high…

Ch: Lishi. A gigaku mask *gigakumen 伎楽面…

Ch: Lin Hejing (967-1028). A noted poet, calligrapher and scholar of the Northern Song dynasty. Rin Nasei's real name was…

A type of halo *kōhai 光背 used on Buddhist images, forming a free-…

The royal ease position (Sk: Maharajalilasana). A seated position used for a Buddhist image with one knee (usually…

Also rōgata chūzō 蝋型鋳造, rōgata imono 蝋型鋳物. A method of metal casting known as the lost-wax…

A Noh mask *nōmen 能面 representing the aged, yet beautiful face of…

A Buddhist sculpture workshop *bussho 仏所, active from the 11th-14th century and…

A Noh mask *nōmen 能面 representing the suffering spirit of a woman…

Also Raryōō 羅陵王, Ranryōō 蘭陵王 (King Lanling), and Ryūō 龍王 (Dragon King, see *…

Also read ritsuzō. A Buddhist image which is standing, as opposed to seated (see *…