Manichaeism

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. ...

I have a friend who is an unapologetic “Quanzhou booster.” Every time travel comes up, he says the same thing: “You’ve never been to Quanzhou? Go. Now.” I asked him what’s so great about it. He thought for a second and said something I’ve never forgotten: “You can walk past six different religious temples in one day in Quanzhou. And none of them have walls between them.” I thought he was exaggerating. ...

Geographical Connections: Quanzhou Prefecture, Kaiyuan Temple (West Street), Qingjing Mosque (Tumen Street), Cao’an (Jinjiang), Tianhou Temple, Confucian Temple, Zhenwu Temple (Fashi), Qingyuan Mountain (Laojun Rock), Lingshan Islamic Tombs. Three years. Three buildings. Three faiths. Centuries apart, but crammed into the same small city: Quanzhou. When I opened the Quanzhou Religious Chronicle, I found something that kept me up at night. This southern Fujian city once worshipped Buddha, Allah, Mani, Jesus, and Shiva — all at the same time. Not one after the other. Together. ...