Busshi

[1][2] Painters were specifically known as e-busshi (絵仏師), whereas sculptors who worked with wood were called ki-busshi.

[3] Busshi were organized into both categories of task and grade of mastery: sō-busshi (惣仏師, master) dai-busshi (大仏師, major), gon-busshi (権仏師, assistant), tō-busshi (頭仏師, supervisor), and shō-busshi (小仏師, apprentice).

In both the Nara and Heian periods, busshi were organized in bussho (仏所, workshops) that belonged to the imperial court, temples, and the nobility.

[1] From the 10th century, the workshops became independent from temples and began working on commission.

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