User:HelloAnnyong/Translated/Gigaku

Gigaku (伎楽) is a traditional Japanese theatrical play. According to the Nihon Shoki, in 612 a Baekje civilian brought gigaku to Japan from the Wu region of China. It was performed at the consecration ceremony of the Great Buddha at Tōdai-ji in 752, and there are masks at Shōsōin that are believed to have been used during the ceremony. It was a type of parade route, and a type of funny pantomime was performed. Between the Asuka and Nara period it was popular and was performed at Buddhist masses, but it gradually became phased out.

History
Gigaku is a song and dance tradition that came from the Buddhist cultural sphere in the Wu region of China. There are various theories about the origin, though, as it may have developed in southern China, western China, Greece, India or Indochina.

The term "gigaku" first shows up in the section of the Nihon Shoki that focuses on Emperor Kimmei. It is described that a Japanese doctor (drew blood from a king? pulled his blood?) in Wu, and was presented with Buddhist sutras, statues and a set of gigaku supplies. It is unclear, though, whether or not performances like gigaku were performed at the time. In the Nihon Shoki it is reported that a Baekje civilian brought gigaku to Japan. There is an account that in Sakurai, Nara, boys were taught the dance, and this is the oldest record of gigaku being performed in Japan.

With Prince Shōtoku's encouragement, gigaku grew as in its position as temple music. Gigaku teachers were made exempt from taxes, and it was protected by the government. According to the Engishiki, a gigaku group performed at temples like Hōryū-ji], [[Tōdai-ji, Daian-ji, and Saidai-ji. Performances were also held on April 8th - the day when Buddha's birthday is celebrated - and also on July 15th. In Chikushi in 685, gigaku was performed for a foreign guest of honor. This was the start of gigaku as a non-religious performance.

At the Todai-ji consecration ceremony in 752, there was a large-scale performance of gigaku. Though gigaku flourished during the Nara and Heian periods, it started to diminish by the Kamakura period. In modern times, however, vestiges of the dance can be seen in such performances as the lion dance and ren'kuyō, a dance performed at many temples.

Performances
During the Nara period gigaku was mainly performed at Buddhist temples.

It was first done as a type of parade. これは読経をともない仏を賛美するものと考えられる. このパレードは「治道（ちどう）」とよばれる鼻の高い天狗のような仮面をつけた者が先導する. 次に笛、鼓などの楽器で構成される前奏の楽隊、音声という声楽のパート、さらに獅子、踊物、そして後奏の楽隊、帽冠（ほうこ）とよばれる僧がつきしたがう.

一行が、しつらえられた演技の場に到着すると、獅子舞がはじまる. これは演技の場を踏み鎮める役割をはたす. 次に呉王、金剛、迦楼羅（かるら）、呉女、崑崙（くろん）、力士、波羅門（ばらもん）、大孤（たいこ）、酔胡（すいこ）という登場人物によって劇的展開をもつ演技がはじまる. この演技はすべて仮面をつけておこなわれ、無言のパントマイムと舞で構成される. また管楽器や打楽器による伴奏がつく.

呉王、金剛による登場の舞に続いて、霊鳥である迦楼羅が蛇を食べるテンポの速い舞、崑崙が呉女に卑猥な動作で言い寄り力士にこらしめられる演技、波羅門が褌をぬいで洗う所作、大孤という老人が仏に礼拝する演技、酔胡（酒に酔った胡の王）とその従者（酔胡従）による滑稽な演技がおこなわれた.

崑崙はマラカタとよばれる男性器を誇張したつくりものを扇でたたいて呉女に言い寄り、力士はそのマラカタに縄をかけて引っ張ったり、たたいたりする. 色欲を戒める意味をもたせて上演されたが、その所作は見物の爆笑をさそったと想像される. また酔胡の演技も酒に酔って権威をなくしてしまった王を描いており、おおらかな批判精神がみられる. しかしながら大孤の礼拝の所作は、仏教に対する敬虔さを表現しており、伎楽が喜劇的な要素をもちながら、寺院楽として用いられた理由がここにあるという説もある.

Influence and legacy
大宝律令に定められた雅楽寮には伎楽師もおかれ、国家の保護がなされた. しかし一方で、国家保護のもとで伎楽の演者は居住地が定められるなどの制約も課せられた. また散楽との密接な関係もあったと思われる. 伎楽は広く地方にも伝播していった形跡がみられる. 国家保護と制約から解放されるにつれ、伎楽は様々に形を変えていった.

崑崙の「マラフリ」や、波羅門の「ムツキアラヒ(褌を洗う所作)」は、のちの猿楽にも受け継がれた. また伎楽の伴奏の多くは雅楽のレパートリーに取り入れられ、後世に残った. さらに先述のように各地の獅子舞のルーツも伎楽にあるとみてさしつかえない. 伎楽そのものは鎌倉期に衰退したとされるが、伎楽が後世の芸能に及ぼした影響は大きい.