E-toki

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Key figures Shōtoku Tori Busshi Rōben Saichō Kūkai Jōchō Kūya En no Gyōja Hōnen Myōe Shinran Jōkei Eison Ninshō Dōgen Eisai Ingen Nichiren Unkei Enni Issan Ichinei Musō Soseki Sen no Rikyū Rennyo Sesshū Tōyō Takuan Sōhō Ingen Hasegawa Tōhaku Sakuden Tenkai Inoue Enryō Murakami Senshō Nishida Kitarō Shaku Sōen D. T. Suzuki Suzuki Shunryū
Key topics Nihon Shoki Art Deities Architecture Temples Hongaku Honji suijaku Shinbutsu-shūgō Gongen Nenbutsu Death poem Zen garden Zazen Daimoku Sōhei Ikkō-ikki Butsudan Obon Kaichō Kanjin Senjafuda Danka system Shinbutsu bunri Haibutsu kishaku Gozan Bungaku
Glossary of Japanese Buddhism
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E-toki (絵解き, "picture deciphering, picture explaining") refers to a

principle.

History

The earliest examples of e-toki are of a

e-maki, exposing the hidden Buddhist message behind the images. The earliest examples of e-toki where only performed to a small group of the ruling class, and only upon special request.

These early performances were non-accompanied, and a solo monk would use a pointer with a soft cotton tip to tap the paintings in areas that exemplified the point to be made ( the cotton tip was to reduce the wear on the scrolls, many emaki show the wear of these performances despite this precaution with areas of the paint flaked off in vital image areas).

The practice started to move out of picture halls and become more of a public performance around the 11th century. At that time music began to accompany the picture telling. A blind monk^{[clarification needed]} would play the biwa as a sighted monk would tell the story and point to the picture. Music would be composed for specific stories,^[1] and the e-toki timed to correlate dramatic moments within the story to the music. Monks would often perform e-toki in exchange for gifts of food or money, and traveling e-toki performing monks would set up and preach on bridges or roadsides for any audience.

Practice

E-toki is often performed by a monk or

and upon special request at temples today.

References

External links

• Monika Dix (2006). Review: Explaining Pictures - Buddhist Propaganda and Etoki Storytelling in Japan