Bulletin of Catholic University of Peking

66 BULLETIN NUMBER FOUR

of the Ming dynasty, that is, about 1620 A.D. The author did not belong to the Buddhist religion and is therefore fair and free from disparagement in his description of the Manichzans. Moreover, the account which he gives of the life of Mani and of the spread -of Manicheism in China, is more exhaustive than any previous one given in earlier works. This work, therefore, affords us a glimpse of the state of Manichzism under the Yuan and Ming dynasties, and I am happy to be able to acquaint my readers with the following passage derived from the ‘‘Topographical Notes’’ contained in book 7 of the Min-shu:

“The Hua Piao Hill in the district of Chin Kiang in the prefecture of Ch’uan Chow is connected with Ling Yuan Hill. Its two peaks are upreared like Hua Piaos (ornamental stone pillars). Situated on the northern slope of this hill is a rustic chapel, which was built during the Yuan dynasty and in which the Buddha Mani is worshipped. The Buddha Mani is called the ‘Bright Buddha Ma-Mani’. He was a native of Su Lin (Syria); he was a Buddha and was styled the All-wise, Great, Bright Messenger.

It is said that Laotse, 500 years after he had gone West into the Shifting Sands, was metamorphosed into a Nai Yiin (7.¢., a pomegranate) in the year of Wu Tse of the Chien An period during the reign of Han Hsien-Ti (208 a.p.). The queen of King Pati (Fatak) ate it and found it sweet and, in consequence, became pregnant. When her time arrived, the child came into the world through the breast of his mother. Nai Yiin is the name for pomegranates in the royal garden. This legend corresponds to that of the plucking of the plum-tree and the begetting of the child through the left side (in the case of the Buddha). His religion was yclept the Bright. In his clothing he favoured white. In the morning he worshipped the sun and in the evening he worshipped the moon. He had a clear understanding of the essence of the Doctrine and laboured for its greater Brightness. He

said: ‘What is proximate to Thy essence is my being and what is proximate to my being is Thy essence’. Thus he united into one the teaching of Buddha and that of Laotse. This religion spread into Ta Shih (Arabia), Bulin (the Near East?), Hara (Tokharistan), Posze(Persia), and other countries. In the year of Ping Hsu of the T’ai Shih period during the reign of Chin Wu-Ti (266 A.D.), he died in Persia, after having transmitted his Doctrine to the foremost Musha. A Musha came to China to propagate his religion during the reign of T’ang Kao-Tsung (650-683 a.D.). Later during the reign of Wu Tse T’ien (684-704 A.D.), an eminent brother of the Musha, the Butotan Mi-UMo-Se, came in his turn to the Imperial court. The Buddhists, in their jealousy, slandered him and-there ensued between them and him mutual denunciations. Wu Tse T’ien, however, was pleased with his words and retained him to expound his scriptures. During the K’ai Yuan period (713-741 A.D.), a temple was erected under the name of Ta Yiin Kuang Ming Ssu, in which he (Mani) was worshipped. He (the Butotan) said that in the beginning there had been in his country two Holy Ones, named Sien Yi (Primordial Will) and Yi Shu (Jesus). This legend corresponds to ours, about P’an-Ku, (the First Man). The word Ma means Great. Their scripture consists of seven parts. They have a scripture called Hua Hu Ching, in which is related the story of Laotse going West into the Shifting Sands to be re-born in Sulin. During the Hui Ch’ang period (841-846 a.p.), there was a suppression of the religious sects and the religion of Light was also suppressed. There was a Master of the Law, named Hulu, who came to Fu-Tang (south of the present Foochow) and taught his disciples in San Shan “The Three Mountains” (7. ¢., in the region of Foochow). While travelling in Ch’uan Chun, he died and was buried at the foot of the mountain situated to the north of Ch’uan Chun. During the period of Chih Tao (995-997 4-D.), a scholar of Hwai An named Li T’ing-Yu found an image of the Buddha (Mani) in the Market of Fortunetellers in the Capital. He purchased it for the sum of 50,000 cash, and it was thus that the Auspicious Countenance was introduced into the Min Region (#. e., Fu-kien).