A kei is a gong-like metal plaque that is hung from a frame and struck with a plectrum. It is one of the ritual implements on hand for Buddhist ceremonies, placed to the right of the priest leading the service. He strikes the kei to demarcate different sections of a ritual, in part to let the other priests know where in the ritual they are. Kei are typically shaped like this one, which comes from the Zaō’dō at Kinpusenji Temple in Nara, and they often feature floral designs and peacocks.
NAITO SakaeEnglish by Mary Lewine
Buddhist Art Paradise: Jewels of the Nara National Museum. Nara National Museum, 2021.7, p.338, no.142.
Important Art Object
Kei (Flat gong) with design of peacocks
Bronze
L 20.2
Nanbokuchō period 14th century
Shōhei 12 1357
- D029852
- D029852
- 2002/01/25
- D029854
- 2002/01/25
- A242212
- 2002/01/25
- A242214
- 2002/01/25
More
| Accession Number | 1304-0 |
|---|---|
| Category | Decorative Arts |
| Bibliography | Buddhist Art Paradise: Jewels of the Nara National Museum. Nara National Museum, 2021.7, 354p. |