Cao'an

The stones of Quanzhou speak. From the foundations of Yacheng in 722 AD to the Mani Buddha in 1339 AD and modern digital modeling, these granite carvings tell a global history. When I cross-referenced the Quanzhou Architectural Records and Quanzhou Religious Records, I discovered: these silent stones carry the pinnacle craftsmanship of ancient Chinese artisans in the maritime age. Geographic Links Cao’an at Huabiao Mountain (Jinjiang, world’s only Mani Light Buddha) Jiuri Mountain (Nan’an, Song Dynasty wind-praying inscriptions) Kaiyuan Temple (West Street, Zhenguo and Renshou Pagodas) Luoyang Bridge (Spanning Luoyang River) Anping Bridge (Longest ancient cross-sea stone bridge) Tianhou Temple (Southern city, Minnan stone carving showcase) ...

Geographic Links Huabiao Mountain (Also known as Wanshan Peak, located in Luoshan, Jinjiang, the site of Cao’an) Cao’an (A Manichaean temple founded in the Song Dynasty, housing the world’s only Mani stone statue) Longquan Well (Located below Cao’an, the water source for monks, featuring Song Dynasty inscriptions) Jinjiang River (The river surrounding Huabiao Mountain, a historical water route for believers from Zayton to Cao’an) Houzhu Port (The core foreign trade district of ancient Quanzhou, the entry point for Manichaeism from Persia) I. Origins: From Persian Light to the Localization of Zayton Cao’an Manichaeism, founded by the Persian prophet Mani in the 3rd century AD, centers on the “Two Principles and Three Moments”—the ultimate struggle between Light and Darkness. Over centuries, it found its final sanctuary in Quanzhou’s Zayton Port, undergoing a profound local transformation. ...