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