Dream, Pilgrimage and Dragons in the Kegon Engi Emaki(illustrated legends of the Kegon patriarchs): Reading Ideology in Kamakura Buddhist Narrative Scrolls
Dream, pilgrimage and dragons are remarkable themes in Kegon engi , a set of picture scrolls in Japanese Kamakura period (1185-1333) which tell the tales of two Kegon sect patriarchs, Gangyo and Gisho. Gangyo becomes enlightened after having a demonic dream. Gisho makes a pilgrimage to China and meets a dragon-lady.
While previous research has discussed the dating, attribution, style and reconstruction of Kegon engi , this thesis examines the relationship between narrative and ideology in Kegon engi and shows that we can find out the ideological belief existed at that time by examining the narrative codes developed around the three themes. The development of narrative picture scrolls reached its zenith in the Kamakura period. The various genres and artistic styles of scrolls reflect the social and cultural complexity of this era. Examining the ideology in Kegon engi gives a way to look into the Kamakura society from a new perspective.
