Music and Dance in the Medieval Cult of Prince Shōtoku

Prince Shōtoku veneration in medieval art, literature, and religious practice has been well-examined in English academic literature; however, the role of music and dance in his devotional cult has received little to no attention. While missing in his earliest biographies, from the tenth century onward, Prince Shōtoku was inserted into histories and narratives of specific performances transmitted from the Asian mainland, and foreign musical entertainment became the centerpiece at his annual death memorial. Through examining the narratives of three categories of music and dance in written and painted biographies, musical encyclopedias, and the performances themselves, this article demonstrates how crucial musical performance was in the worship and spread of the Prince Shōtoku cult, especially during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Moreover, these narratives relied upon his authority and legacy to localize and legitimate foreign music in Buddhist settings and authenticate instruments said to have been used or made by him.