Shōshin

Shōshin [耍備; しょうしん] is a term used to describe the male predecessors and counterparts of senkō entertainers. They might be likened to Western jesters or minstrels in their role within the Imperial courts of 9th- to 15th-century Kanton. Their lesser-known female counterparts were the ninyori, who were also involved in creating the building blocks for senkō art.
Often acting as entertainers for manza, various court nobles and feudal lords, shōshin became popular court entertainers throughout the medieval period and were considered to be invaluable in lifting morale and lightening a heavy atmosphere. Shōshin both advised and performed for their lords and came to be known somewhat informally as yoriban, meaning 'dancing lad'. They also often worked as hosts and performers at parties and festivals. By the 1300s, they became known primarily as vocal performers, rarely hosting or organising gatherings, and instead focusing on story-telling, providing humour, and giving intelligent conversation. In the military, shōshin would act as morale boosters, and would accompany soldiers to the front lines to fight with them.
The shōshin were also famous for their dancing, elements of which were taken from regional folk culture. The costumes worn by shōshin during dance performances were known for their amusing outlandishness and flamboyancy. Long red or white ribbons on sticks would be twirled mesmerisingly, and acrobatics were often performed. Many shōshin were extremely physically fit and skilled gymnasts. Yō-shōshin were particularly known for their contortions.
Around the 16th century, Kanton's nobility entered a period of puritanism, and shōshin found less and less appreciation for their work in the Imperial court. Many moved away to the entertainment and red-light districts of the nation's major cities, where some became male prostitutes and others continued performing for the public. Large numbers of shōshin were able to find work under the managers of meiri, high-ranking female courtesans, and entered into contracts.
By the late 1600s the first female shōshin began to emerge and eventually became known by the name senkō in the early 1700s. By the end of the 1700s the senkō outnumbered shōshin to the point that the latter started to be called ōsenkō, or 'male senkō'. The senkō soon took over from the shōshin due to their contemporary look, their skills in entertainment and their sophistication. By the turn of the century, shōshin had transformed into senkōke, servants of the senkō, as they often helped them to dress, style their hair, and walk along the street without tripping in their tall sandals.
By the mid-1800s, the profession of shōshin which had existed for over 700 years in the Imperial courts of Kanton was taking its dying breath. Either working underground as sophisticated male prostitutes, or attending parties and events as the servants of senkō, shōshin were no longer the respected performers they had once been.