Kokei participated in the reconstruction of Buddhist statues of Kofuku-ji Temple in Nara, which had been burnt down in the fire set by TAIRA no Shigehira in 1180, and then led Busshi of his school to construct statues which included the principal image, the statue of Fukukenjaku Kannon (Kannon of the Never Empty Lasso).
康慶は、治承4年（1180年）の平重衡の焼き討ちで全焼した、奈良・興福寺の復興造仏に参加し、一門の仏師を率いて、興福寺南円堂の本尊・不空羂索観音像以下の諸仏の造像にあたった。