kusôzu
16:9 muet 10min30
One of the most provocative images in Japanese art is the kusozu, a graphic depiction of a corpse in the process of decay and decomposition. The kusozu, "painting of the nine stages of a decaying corpse", was executed in Japan from approximately the thirteenth through the nineteenth centuries in various formats, including handscrolls, hanging scrolls, and printed books. The subject itself is derived from a traditional Buddhist doctrine that urges contemplation on the nine stages of a decaying corpse. The teaching dates to the early fifth century and promotes a systematic meditation on the impurity of a decaying corpse as an aid to ardent devotees who wish to liberate themselves from sensual desires and affections.
Behind the Sensationalism: Images of a Decaying Corpse in Japanese Buddhist Art
2009