After the Northern Sung period (China) or Kamakura period (Japan), although there were exceptions, a Zen monk who mainly produced ink-wash paintings was called gaso (an artist monk) and was sometimes distinguished from other ebusshi; however, occasionally both terms were used together, and a clear distinction was not always made.
中国北宋もしくは日本鎌倉時代以後に、主に水墨画を描く禅僧（例外あり）を特に画僧（がそう）と呼んで、他の絵仏師と区別される場合もあるが、両者が混用される場合もあり、厳密な区別がある訳ではない。